Sins of the Mother
by NightLark
Summary: Sequel to 'A Family Affair'. After the battle with Mikael, Elena wakes from a coma, stranded in the bayou with no knowledge of what happened to her new family. And now a whole new set of problems are rising from the grave. Elena/Originals
1. Preface

" _What's wrong with her?"_

" _She's having a seizure."_

 _Unfamiliar voices. The smell of earth and blood and a deep animal scent._

 _I vaulted upright, my eyes flying open. Sunlight almost blinded me._

" _Keep her still, she'll hurt herself."_

 _Strong hands restrained me, holding me down._

" _Sedate her!"_

" _Won't that hurt it?"_

" _Just a small dose."_

 _I felt a sharp sting in my arm. I managed to take in the sight of my body, my legs tied to the bed post and my swollen stomach before I passed out._

I didn't realize that I was awake at first. I'd been floating between asleep and awake in a drug filled haze. Slowly the feeling returned to my body and my limbs began to respond to me once again. I sat up, my head spinning as the last of the sedative was still in effect. I paused, taking a moment to adjust and let everything settle down again. My legs were no longer restrained although I could see the ropes attached to the bed frame so I knew that I hadn't imagined it.

I got to my feet and looked around. I was in a small log cabin. I could hear the lazy hum of cicadas and smell that strange animal scent again. The room I was in was sparsely furnished, just the bed that I'd woken in and a small table that had a jug and bowl on it. I went over to the table and found that the jug contained water while the bowl had a small facecloth in it. I poured the water into a bowl and washed my face. The air in the cabin was humid and the cool water was pleasant against my skin.

I took a deep breath, feeling calmer now that sweat wasn't sticking to every inch of me. Now to take stock of myself. I was wearing a loose cotton dress and I pulled it off to get a better idea of my injuries. The moment the fabric was gone, I screamed. Staring back at me was a swollen, clearly pregnant belly. Oh god. What had happened to me while I was unconscious?

My breathing began to spike and my heart raced as panic set in. My body seized up and I started to shake all over. All I could do was stare at my belly, unable to truly comprehend what I was seeing.

The door open and a young blonde woman came in.

"You need to calm down," she said, coming over to me. She took my hands in hers. "Focus on your breathing. In and out. Long slow breaths."

Despite not knowing who she was or whether I could trust her, I forced myself to do as she said. I was no good to anyone, least of all myself, in this kind of state. She guided my breathing, holding my hands gently until it had slowed to a normal speed once again.

"Wh… where am I? What's happened to me?"

"My name is Eve. You're in the bayou. Don't panic, we're trying to help you."

"I… I'm pregnant!"

"Yes." A look of horror appeared on her face. "Oh gosh, you think we…? No. This wasn't us! We found you. You were delirious and bleeding. We brought you back here, you've been in and out of consciousness for a few months now."

"A few months?"

"Yes. Although, given the condition you were in when you were brought in, I'm not surprised. Your body needed to heal."

My hands went to my belly, feeling the curves. I felt like a strange alien had invaded my body and taken me over.

"Wh… what happened to the Mikaelsons?"

"Who?"

"The night I got hurt, I was with a family… four men and a woman. They were fighting with another man. There were wolves… Do you know what happened to them?"

"I haven't seen anyone."

"Oh god… they're all dead…"

"Would I be right in assuming that one of those men would be the father of the child?" I nodded. It could only be one of them. I just didn't know which one… I didn't think it was a possibility for them to get me pregnant. Damon had said that vampires couldn't procreate… "As soon as you're back to your full strength, I'm sure we can help you find them."

"I feel fine…"

"Yes but you've been on very strong sedatives for a while. You'll be feeling a lot worse when they've worn off. And there's the small fact that you've been unconscious for a great deal of time. If you try to do too much you'll make yourself worse. And you risk damaging the baby." I sighed softly and sank onto the bed.

"This is just… insane. Most people get nine months to get used to the idea of a child… I don't know if I can handle this."

"Well it's too late to really do anything about it now… at least until it's born." She gave me a sympathetic smile. "Just stay here for a little bit longer? I don't get much company."

"You live out here alone?" I could have sworn I'd heard other people around here before.

"No… not alone exactly… At least not all of the time."

I nodded absentmindedly.

"Alright, I guess I'll stay. But I really do need to find out what happened to my family…" I looked at her. "Do you think the wolves might have killed them?"

I assumed that the wolves Klaus had called were werewolves. I didn't know if the originals were vulnerable to werewolf bites. But even if they were, Klaus wouldn't be and he could have healed the others… if Mikael hadn't killed him before I stopped him. That was… if I had stopped him. I was alive, maybe he was too. Oh god, I didn't actually know anything about what was true anymore.

"I don't think the wolves would have hurt them… I mean, unless…" I could tell by her tone that she was trying to tread carefully.

"They were vampires," I said. She blinked.

"You know about the vampires?"

"Yes. I've known quite a few. Dated some. Am apparently pregnant with the child of one."

"Vampires can't procreate."

"That's what I thought. Anyway, I assume you know about the werewolves then?"

"I do. I am one. Untriggered."

"If you know the wolves, do you think you could find out about what happened?"

"I can ask but not until the full moon." I frowned. "Oh, the werewolves in the bayou were cursed. Those who have triggered the curse are trapped in animal form and can only take human form on the full moon. And that's about a week away so I can't ask until then."

"Well I guess I have to stay now." She smiled.

"It'll be okay. Come on, I'll show you around." She led me outside. Mosquitos flew lazily around me. There were a few cabins dotted around, a washing line and an RV. "It's not much but it's what we call home."

We sat down on a makeshift dock that looked over the lake. Trees with long dangling tendrils skimmed the surface, stirring gently in the breeze.

"Who cursed you guys?" I asked. "If you don't mind talking about it."

"It's okay, it's a standard question. It was Marcel Gerard, the ruler of the French quarter."

"I know Marcel… How did he curse you? He's a vampire?"

"Yes but he controls all the witches. There was a fight between some of the wolves and he cursed the pack. I'm still not entirely sure how he thought it would help. But we've been hiding out here ever since."

"That's terrible."

"Hopefully one day we'll be free. In the meantime we do what we can."

"So it really is just you?"

"There's a few kids who haven't turned. They tend to just run wild around the area and only really come back when they're hungry."

I nodded and looked out over the water. My hands gently caressed my belly, contemplating the life inside. The thought of a child terrified me. I was only eighteen, I didn't know anything about being a mother. And if the siblings were dead… what would I do? I'd have to go back to Mystic Falls… but I had no friends there anymore. Jeremy had left town. I had no family. And everyone knew me. I could imagine them whispering behind my back. Maybe staying out here wouldn't be too bad. It was peaceful, it was secluded. I could get used to the idea of having a child in this peaceful surrounding and relative safety.

"Are you sure the pack will let me stay?"

"Well I can't see any problem with it. I told them you were here, but they might have expected you to leave once you woke up. Still, since you know about our kind it makes it easier as we won't have to try and protect our secret. As long as you help out, it'll be fine."

"Am I okay to come and go? Marcel know Klaus, I thought I might ask him if he knew what happened…"

"If you go to see Marcel, you can't tell him where you're staying."

"I won't."

"Then it's okay." I nodded. I had a plan in mind now. I would ask Marcel and hope he knew what happened. If he didn't, I'd wait to talk to Eve's pack. I'm sure I'd find out what happened. They'd be fine, they'd tell me what was going on with my mysterious pregnancy and everything would be good. It had to be.


	2. Chapter I

**A/N: I am loving the response I got to the first chapter! I've spent the day thinking (well, working and thinking. And getting hot oil splashed in my face) about what I want this story to be. At least for now there will be less of my standard darkness and a lot more emotional introspection. The separation spell has taken a lot out of Elena so she's probably going to be fairly moody for a bit. Also, I wanted to stress that this is still an Originals fic however we might not actually see them for a little bit. Be patient, they will come.**

 **Final thing before I start. Elena's baby. I have no actually decided who the father is (the obvious choice would be Klaus) but ignoring the logistics, who do you guys WANT as the father. If it could be any of them at all?**

* * *

The next day I woke up bright and early. Well, woke up was somewhat incorrect. I hadn't been asleep. Instead of sleeping I'd simply laid in the bed in the cabin, staring up at the ceiling and watching the light move across it. I could hear wolves howling somewhere in the trees and the sound seemed to swirl around me, making me feel like I was surrounded by them on all sides.

Eventually the sun rose and I got up. Eve had given me a change of clothes so that I wouldn't have to hang about in the borrowed nightdress. It wasn't like anything I would normally wear and it was a little big for me but it hid my bulge nicely. It probably wasn't a good idea to let Marcel, or any vampire for that matter, know what I was carrying. I wasn't part of that community but I knew that it was going to have big implications for their species.

Standing in the cabin in my borrowed dress, I felt… strange. It was hard to explain. I felt like something was missing, like I was hollow inside.

I let myself out of the cabin. There was no sign of Eve or any of the children she'd mentioned as lurking around the bayou. I set off, wandering without any real idea of how to get back to the city. I didn't mind the walk though, I hoped that it would give me some time to think about what I was going to do. I didn't have much of a plan past trying to locate the siblings. I hadn't even considered the possibility of what I'd do if I didn't manage to find them all or if it turned out that Mikael had been successful in killing them. It felt strange not being able to just close my eyes and reach out for them. Even after the spell was blocked, I'd still felt them. It was like being wrapped in a warm blanket, with them just… there. Now I didn't feel anything.

That had to be good though right? Surely this meant that Mikael was gone, or I would have felt him. Then again, I'd not felt him straight after the spell had been cast. I'd just felt broken.

I needed to come up with an actual idea of what to do if the worst were to happen. It was odd… I'd had my decisions taken away from me for so long, even though I'd tried to stay in control nothing had really been down to me. Now that I had freedom to do as I pleased I was just… stuck. Alone. Scared.

If they were dead, I couldn't go back to Mystic Falls. I couldn't face everyone there. I'd have to start up somewhere new. Except I had no money and I hadn't even finished high school. And at some point I was going to have a child. I wasn't even sure how far along I was. What had I gotten myself into here?

I stopped and sat on a log, resting my head in my hands. Maybe I should give the baby up? That hadn't really occurred to me before. But surely if it was a Mikaelson, it would be… different. Could I really abandon it to be raised by someone who had no idea what they were getting into? That might turn out being far worse. Surely it should be raised by someone who knew about the supernatural… but no one would know what to do with a child like this… Vampires weren't meant to procreate after all. So I couldn't give it to a stranger… I couldn't think of anyone who knew about this stuff that would be able to handle this. If I kept it, my life wasn't exactly safe. Keeping it might put it in danger.

This was so confusing. All my options seemed equally bad to me. I decided it would be better to put those thoughts out of my head. I had at least some time before I would have to make a proper decision. In the meantime I needed to find out what happened to the others. If I found them, they could help me.

I got up and continued on my way. It took me a few hours but eventually I made it back to the city and then to the French quarter. It was then that I realized I had absolutely no idea where I'd be able to find Marcel. I barely knew the guy.

I decided to try the place we'd stayed when we first arrived. Marcel had been using that as his home when we'd got here. If the siblings had abandoned it, he might have reclaimed it. And if they were still there, that was even better.

I walked down the street and I felt a little stunned by how little had changed. So much had happened to me yet to everybody around me everything was exactly the same. They had no idea about any of this. To them I was just another girl, a single nobody in a sea of nobodies trying to be somebodies, each person thinking their problems were the most important.

I reached the house. The entrance gate that led into the courtyard was closed, a heavy padlock and chain fixed in place. I gave them a light tug, hoping that they would give. Nothing moved. I peered through the gate, trying to see inside. Everything was dark and still. As I looked, I felt a sharp twinge of pain in my belly. It was short, over as quickly as it started. I rubbed my stomach lightly, frowning to myself. My eyes flickered over to the darkened courtyard once more. Another twinge swept through me.

No one was there. I would have to find some other way of locating Marcel.

I sighed softly and headed down the street, trying to work out what I could do now. Eve had said that the witches in the quarter were controlled by him. Would they know where to find him? Probably not… if he was in charge, he'd probably go to them when he wanted them. And if I went near them, would they help me? Witches were meant to be about preserving the balance of nature and I was fairly sure that the child inside me was very much against nature. Even if they didn't realise, I was a little wary about witches all things considered…

My stomach growled. I hadn't anything since the night before. I bit my lip. I didn't even have a wallet anymore. It had all been in my bag at the Mikaelson house. I would just have to wait until I got back to the bayou for food. I gave my stomach a gentle rub, hoping to soothe it with pure willpower.

I decided that I could risk asking one of the witches. I mean, what other choices did I really have? Exactly one choice. Go back to the bayou and wait in the hope that the werewolves would be able to help me on the full moon. And while there was about as much likelihood of them helping me as Marcel, the idea of sitting, waiting and doing nothing was maddening. I needed to be proactive.

I wandered up and down, searching for any shops that looked suitably witchy. I was so focused on my task that I wasn't really paying attention and collided with something solid.

"Oh, god I'm sorry." I looked up and blinked at the familiar face looking down at me. "Toby?"

He frowned, momentarily confused but then his face cleared and recognition replaced the confusion.

"Elena… yeah?"

"Yeah. How are you?"

"Not bad."

"You finally got a daylight ring then?"

"Yes. Marcel promoted me to the inner circle. This is one of the perks."

I bit my lip, the implications of this sinking in. This was far too good an opportunity to waste.

"So… you would know where Marcel is… being in his inner circle?" I asked hesitantly. I wasn't sure if I'd be allowed in to see Marcel now that I didn't have the siblings with me. I was just a human after all. Did I have enough, I don't know… status?

"I would… why…?"

"I was actually trying to find him. I don't suppose you could take me to him?" He considered and nodded slowly.

"I guess that would be okay. I can't see the harm." He gave me a friendly smile and gestured for me to follow, heading down the street, past Jackson square to the French Market and Café Du Monde. Marcel was sitting at a table outside, looking completely at ease. He lifted his head as we approached and I saw a look of bemusement cross his face. Toby gave him a respectful smile.

"Marcel."

"Toby. And… Elena, wasn't it? Klaus' human?"

"I am Elena. I might… differ with you on the definition."

"Either way, it's been a while since I've seen you in my town."

"I've been… it's complicated. But I need to discuss something with you, if you're free?"

"Of course. Have a seat." I sat opposite him. Toby hovered uncertainly until Marcel waved him off, his eyes never leaving me. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm actually here about Klaus. I was wondering if you'd seen him recently."

"I haven't seen him in months. Not since that party of mine you attended where he decided to blame me for what happened to you." I suppressed a groan. This was what I'd feared.

"Have you seen any of the others?"

"I saw Rebekah. But again that was some months ago. Ironically enough she was looking for you." That must have been after Mikael took me.

"Well… thank you, I guess... sorry to disturb you."

"Do you have somewhere to stay in the meantime?"

"I…" I remembered Eve's warning not to tell Marcel about where I was staying. "I'm staying with some people a little out of town. Just temporarily, until I find the others." His expression became sad, as if he was struggling to find the words to tell me something difficult.

"You know Elena, it might be a good thing that they're gone. I'm not one for advocating giving up, but sometimes it is the best course of action. A nice girl like you, you really shouldn't be involved with people like them."

"I know. But they're… kind of family."

"Klaus has a way of abandoning family when it suits him. If they left you behind, I wouldn't dwell on it." He took a sip of his coffee. "However, if you want to stay in the city, I would be happy to welcome you into my group. You can stay until you find them or even longer if you want. I suppose with our respective relationships to the Mikaelsons, we're almost family as well."

"I hadn't thought of that."

"You don't have to answer now, but if you want to just let me know."

"Is there somewhere I can find you?"

"Well… I'm usually around. But it might be easier to use this?" He held out a phone. I recognized it as mine, the one I'd lost at his party. "I found, it's yours right?"

"It is. Thank you." I took it and slipped it into my pocket. Maybe this trip wasn't quite as useless as I'd thought.

"Here's my number. Call me anytime." I gave him a grateful smile, took the slip of paper with his number and got to my feet.

"I'll leave you to enjoy your coffee." I turned to go but paused and looked back. "I don't suppose… you've seen… Mikael?"

His expression darkened and he visibly tensed.

"I have not. But where Mikael is concerned, that doesn't always indicate that he's not around."

I nodded, turned and left the café. I headed a short distance from Marcel, found a bench and sat down. I fished my phone from my pocket, staring at it for a long time. Hopefully this would give me the answer I needed.

I scrolled through my contacts, came to Elijah's number and dialled. My hands were shaking as I lifted the phone to my ear. It didn't even ring. There was just a click and silence. I tried Finn. Same thing. Klaus. This time the phone rang. I chewed my lip nervously. It just kept ringing. Eventually I was forced to disconnect. I tried Kol and Rebekah. The voice at the other end informed me that the numbers were out of service.

My heart sank. I put the phone away and got up, heading back in the direction of the bayou. I felt heavier somehow, every step was an effort and all the energy had been sapped from my body.

My eyes idly wandered the streets as I walked. They came to rest on a small store, the window bedecked with witch memorabilia. I paused, wishing that I could do magic and just… undo everything that had happened to me. I sighed and went to take a step. Another sharp twinge ripped through my stomach, far worse than any of the ones before. I doubled over, arms wrapping around me.

"Are you alright there?" A young blonde girl had come out of the front, a basket in her arms.

"Oh… yes, I'm fine." I forced myself to straighten up, ignoring the pain. It continued to radiate through me and I gritted my teeth, concentrating on regulating my breathing.

"Are you sure? You look a little out of sorts."

"Just something I ate…"

"Well, I'm sure we have an herbal remedy that would help ease the pain."

"That would imply this stuff is real," I said, giving a small smile. It was better with witches, I felt, to pretend to have no knowledge of the realities about their world.

"Well my aunt and I certainly believe that is. And I'm sure if there something you need we could be of assistance."

"Can you rewrite time?"

The girl opened her mouth but she was interrupted before she could speak.

"Now that kind of magic can lead to all kinds of problems," said a woman who had appeared in the doorway to the store. She was tall, dressed in black, with dark brown hair. "And I believe that you are right where you need to be."

"Well, we'll have to agree to disagree about that."

Her eyes went to my belly and I shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. Could she tell? I was sure that my dress hid the

"You should take care of that child. It will be a special one." I managed an uncertain smile.

"Thanks…" I turned and walked away quickly. When I looked back she was still stood there, watching me. I quietly resolved to avoid the quarter for the remainder of my pregnancy. It was just too dangerous to be around the witches right now.

I left the city and let myself get swallowed up by the trees, disappearing into the bayou once more.


	3. Chapter II

When I got back to the bayou, I got some paper from Eve and locked myself in my cabin to do some thinking. The first thing I needed to know was a rough estimation of how far gone I was, or at least when this child was likely to arrive. I mentally back tracked in my heads, working out dates. I estimated that the child was due between the 21st of July and the 11th of August, if it was on time and depending on who the father was. Okay, that gave me a deadline. I just… didn't know how long I had. I had been so out of it, it was taking me a while to adjust to being alive once again. Things were sinking in, slowly, and with each new revelation I'd realised how much I'd lost. I knew I needed to find a doctor, start taking pills or whatever you were supposed to do when pregnant (being in a coma that lasted several months and being regularly injected with sedatives probably wasn't on the approved list).

I got my phone out my pocket and went to the calendar. It told me that it was February 17th, which mean it was between eighteen or twenty three-ish weeks gone. February… Mikael had taken me in mid-October. I'd lost so much time. It was far worse than I'd thought.

Jeremy.

I was dialling his number without really realising what I was doing. I was about to hit the call button when I froze. Should I do this? Maybe he was happy. He didn't know what had happened… I didn't want to worry him. Damon had taken him away, he probably didn't even know I'd left Mystic Falls.

No, someone would have told him. And I had to talk to him. If he'd disappeared for months on end without a word, I'd want to know he was okay. Like when Stefan disappeared, I knew how much it had hurt to be left just not knowing what was going on and if I'd ever see him again.

I hit the call button before I could lose my nerve. It rang a few times and I almost ended the call as it did, still uncertain if this was the best option. The call connected before I could change my mind again and I heard breathing at the other end.

"J… Jeremy?" My voice trembled. I wasn't sure why. Maybe because it had been so long since I'd heard the voice of someone I cared about, and I was just afraid of being rejected and losing this one connection.

"Elena?" He sounded shocked like he couldn't really believe it was me. At the sound of his voice, I broke. I let out a small noise that was a mixture of a gasp and a cry, a warm smile spreading across my face. It felt so good to smile again, a proper smile of actual happiness. I hadn't done it in so long.

"Jeremy!"

"Oh god Elena, you're okay? I've been so worried!"

"I'm… I'm okay." It was the easiest way to go. I didn't want to worry him.

"You don't sound okay…"

"I was just worried about you. Damon got you out of town, did you go back yet?"

"No, I'm still out of town… but what happened to you? Bonnie said you just vanished! The original vampires disappeared. Stefan didn't know what happened. People think you're dead."

"Did you?"

"No. If you were dead, I figured I would have seen you." He paused. I could hear the hurt in his voice and I felt tears in my eyes as I thought about what I must have put him through. "Are you going to tell me what happened? Or is this just going to be one of those… Elena things that we're not supposed to worry about?" I hesitated, unsure of how much to tell him. I'd spent so long trying to protect him but I knew that if I tried to do that without a reason, I'd end up driving him away.

"I'll tell you the truth. But… there are things that you can't tell the others yet. Okay?"

"Okay…"

"I assume Damon told you why I needed you to get out?"

"Yeah… something about an evil mega vampire?"

"Klaus' father. And yeah. So they all ran to get away from him. And they took me with them. He followed. He took me hostage as bait. There was a big fight."

"Elena, you disappeared from town in October. That covers why you disappeared but not while you've been missing so long. "

"Yeah, I know. I'm getting to it. After the fight I was in a coma. I only woke up yesterday. And I only got my phone today."

"Oh shit. So you're in hospital?"

"No… a weird wolf pack in New Orleans found me and they've been taking care of me. I'm still with them at the moment."

"I can come and pick you up?"

"That sounds amazing Jeremy and I'd like nothing better…"

"But…?"

"But there's some other things that are complicating it at the moment. And this isn't a life or death thing, I'm not just trying to protect you…"

"What is it?"

"I'm pregnant." There was silence on the end of the phone.

"Who…?" I winced slightly. I'd known that he would ask the question but I had wished he wouldn't. I just crossed my fingers, hoping that he wouldn't hate me for what I was going to say.

"I'm not sure. But it's one of the original vampires."

"Fuck."

"But they're gone. I can't find them. I think they might be dead…" He was silent. He probably didn't know what to say. I mean he only really knew about Elijah and Klaus and his impressions of them were far from positive. It was a difficult situation for him. Did he comfort me? Did he celebrate?

"I'm sorry this is happening to you Elena. Please… please come home?"

"I will. Just not yet. I need some time. Please don't tell anyone?" I was sure he could hear my desperation, my fear.

"I won't, I promise." I heard the sound of a door in the background and a loud voice. "Damon's home."

"He's still with you?"

"Yes. He said he made a promise and he intended to stick to it." I couldn't help smiling. "I'll tell the others that you're alive. If you need me, just call and I'll be right there."

"Thanks Jer… when did you become so grown up, huh?"

"Well I have to. I'm going to be an uncle." He was trying to lighten the mood but there was a strain to it. I smiled sadly.

"I'll talk to you soon. Love you Jeremy."

"Love you too Elena." I hung up. At least he was okay. He was still there, unlike everyone else.

I lay back on the bed and closed my eyes. I tried to fight the feelings rising inside of me but eventually I couldn't hold them in. I let my tears flow thick and fast, the sobs raked my body. I felt so alone. As I'd spoken to Jeremy it was though the strings that attached me to the people I knew and cared for had been cut with no hope of ever reattaching them.

I cried for everything I'd lost. For my friends, my family. For Kol, Rebekah, Elijah, Finn… even Klaus. I cried for the lives that had ended because of my existence and for the child inside of me who would no doubt be subjected to the same endless cycle of horror.

I cried until I had no more tears and then I lay there, letting out awkward choked half sobs. My eyes burned, my head hurt and the pain in my stomach was back. I curled into a ball, wrapping my arms around me. I hummed softly to myself, letting the sound soothe me. I burrowed my face into the pillow. I knew I needed to take action but now wasn't the time for that. Now was the time to grieve and purge myself of the negative emotions that I harboured deep inside myself. Once that was done, I would be able to find peace and move on (I hoped). For now I was content to lurk in my little nest of misery.

* * *

I stayed in my bed for far longer than I had intended, letting myself wallow in everything that had been building up inside me. I knew that sometimes it was what you needed, to just let go. After my parents had died I hadn't cried at first, I'd just been numb and bitter. It was only once the tears started flowing that I'd finally been able to move on.

Eve knocked a few times over the days that followed, bringing food, each time more concerned about my wellbeing. Each time I kept my conversation minimal and monosyllabic, barely looking at her until she went away. I needed to do this alone. Take this time to work this through before I could face the world once again. I ate the food without really tasting it. I moved when I had to but mostly I just lay there, staring at the wall, at the ceiling, at the Mikaelsons' numbers programmed into my phone.

Every minute that went past things seemed a little easier to cope with. The pain was still there and it still hurt but it was easier to bear. I stared up at the ceiling, reluctant to move as everything sunk in. I'd been so focused on trying to find the siblings since I'd woken up that I'd not taken any time to really think past that, not really. I'd considered what I might do very briefly but it was an abstract idea rather than a fully formed thought. Now I had no choice but to face it all head on. The Mikaelson's were dead. Or gone. Either way, they weren't a part of my life anymore. As Marcel had said, Klaus had a way of abandoning people when he no longer needed them. While I didn't want to think that I had been discarded, at least then they still existed in some way. For some reason it was easier to think of them as abandoning me than it was to think that they had died. And it made sense too. If they'd died, hadn't Mikael said that their sire line went with them? Marcel was still alive. Damon was alive.

Realising this, the idea that I had been abandoned suddenly became a lot harder to handle. Before it had just been the lesser of two evils, a more pleasant alternative to their demise. Now I knew it was my fault that they were gone and they weren't coming back. Klaus and Elijah had found me easily enough when they needed to. If they wanted me, they would come. They just… they didn't want me.

Everything had been a lie. This had all just been some sick joke for them. Like Kol messing with my head for his own amusement or Klaus forcing me to drink blood. They'd just wanted to see how far they could take it. Silly me, I'd fallen for it. I should have known better than to trust them.

I had to face this reality. And that made it easier somehow. I wasn't going to waste my time crying over people who didn't want me. I wiped my eyes to remove any last signs of tears and made a resolution to myself. I needed to be strong. I wouldn't cry. I wouldn't be afraid. I wouldn't let myself get hurt again. I would do what needed to be done no matter how hard it might be.

I would never let anyone take away my choices. I would never let myself be weak. I was going to protect my child. Which meant I had to make sure I had a way to do that. I knew that however much peace I found in the bayou it wasn't the best place for a child. There was relative safety here, at least for the time being but werewolves were notoriously unpredictable. And they hated vampires. Even if the child had some werewolf blood in it, would that be enough?

No. This child was one of the vampires. And while all I wanted was to hide myself away in this remote little corner of Louisiana, I knew that I wasn't strong enough to protect it alone.

I picked up my phone once more and dialled. I got voicemail so I left a message. Then I got up and headed outside. Eve was sitting by the water and she looked up as I approached. She smiled at first and then her expression changed as she seemed to register the change in me.

"You're leaving aren't you?"

"I have to."

"You don't Elena, you can stay here."

"A vampire doesn't belong with werewolves."

"But you're not a vampire…"

"But this child is. At least partly. And I know that werewolves aren't monsters like some people believe. Just like not all vampires are. But I know how they feel about one another. And I don't want to bring a child into the world that is part vampire just for it to get killed by werewolves."

She nodded slowly, understanding my point. She looked sad, but resigned.

"You could at least stay until the full moon? We might be able to help you find your friends."

"They're not my friends. I don't think they ever were. But I can come back and visit?"

"I'd like that… if you need me, I'm here." She smiled sadly. "I didn't think you could get attached to someone that you mainly know as being comatose." I laughed softly.

"I'll see you again." She hesitated.

"I want to give you something before I go." She disappeared behind one of the buildings and returned with a small leather bound book. "I keep a journal. It helps with being alone. Maybe it will help you with your problems too."

"Thank you Eve."

I gathered up my few possessions in a bag that Eve generously donated. There wasn't much, just the few clothes that Eve had given me and the new journal. I got changed and as I was doing so, my hand faltered on my throat. I was still wearing the Mikaelson necklace, the one that Elijah had given me the night of their ball. I took it off and held it in my hand, looking at the black stone pendant and the coat of arms. I felt tears sting my eyes, threatening to erupt again.

No.

I wrapped the necklace in a piece of cloth and tucked it into the bottom of the bag. And with it, I sealed my vow and buried my heart where it wouldn't be hurt again.

Then I took my bag and left the cabin, the bayou and the serenity it had offered me.

* * *

 **A/N: I did plan to have Elena stay in the bayou for a bit longer but then there's only so much I can do with just her and Eve out there and I really didn't want to write endless chapters of Elena sulking in a swamp.**


	4. Chapter III

I returned to the city. My phone buzzed as I walked with an address so that was where I headed. On my way, I passed by the Mikaelson house and I couldn't help but pause by the rusty gate. I sighed softly. Then I caught myself, realizing what I was doing, and continued on my way.

I reached the address. Marcel was waiting for me there.

"Elena. I was pleased to get your call."

"I thought that given my current situation, you'd be my best bet for safety." I had originally planned on telling Marcel the full situation, about my pregnancy and everything but for some reason as I went to say the words, they stuck in my throat. I knew I was showing but I was confident that with loose enough clothes I could hide it for at least a bit longer, just until I made sure that he was the right person to trust. After all, I hardly knew the man. The only reason I'd chosen to take him up on his offer was simply that he was the only vampire nearby that I knew who was in a position to help. I knew about eleven vampires personally. Four were missing, one was (hopefully) dead, one was looking after Jeremy, one was god knows where doing god knows what (and who I wouldn't ask for help if she was the last vampire on earth) and one was presumably still an emotionless ripper. That left Caroline, Toby and Marcel. There was no way Caroline would understand the situation and if I went back to ask her help, that would mean I'd have to answer the very questions I was trying to avoid. Even if I was willing to do that, she was hardly a particularly powerful ally. Toby had the same problem. Nice guy, not particularly useful. Marcel had status, power, an entire city under his control and presumably a bunch of witches in his pocket.

"Well, I would like to welcome you to my community. I'll take you to where you're staying, give you time to settle in and then tonight I can introduce you to everyone else." We started walking.

"I do have to ask, Marcel, why did you give me this opportunity? I know Klaus took us both in and we were both abandoned by him but was that the only reason?" He looked over at me. "Sorry, I'm just kind of wary at the moment."

"It's understandable. And no, I didn't offer this to you solely for our shared family connection. I was… made aware of what you are."

"Ah…" I felt my body tense. Usually when someone found out that I was a doppelganger, it was followed by schemes and blood and pain. Marcel noticed immediately and held up his hands in a sign of peace.

"Don't worry, I have no intention of hurting you because of it. You can't help how you're born. I couldn't personally see how your status as a doppelganger would be of use to me, but I felt that you are a good person to have on your side. Klaus clearly saw something in you."

"He saw my blood. He needed it to make hybrids."

"I'm sure there's more to you than that. I like to take advantage of opportunities. Even if I don't know how they might work out yet. And I like to help people. Particularly people who are in need of a fresh start."

"I still feel bad just being here and not doing anything. Is there any way I might be able to help out?"

"There is. I have control over the city's witches, however I also have an entire city to run and don't always have time to keep an eye on them or hear their grievances. I'd like you to act as my envoy. They naturally don't trust vampires but you're… mostly human. And you're non-threatening. And you know how to handle yourself around dangerous individuals, a fact demonstrated by your extended survival around Klaus' family."

"What if they try to do magic on me?"

"They're forbidden to do magic in the quarter without my consent. But I'll send someone with you when you visit them."

I nodded slowly. I wasn't sure about the idea about having to interact with the witches regularly. Ideally I wanted to keep myself, and my child, away from people who might have an issue with the loopholes in nature that we presented. But this was the best way for me to survive and Marcel was the best ally I could hope for in my current circumstances.

He took me to one of the old buildings he owned and that he used as a base. It was reasonably quiet, only a few people dotted around. He led me to a bedroom.

"This will be where you stay. We share everything here so help yourself to stuff from the kitchen. If you find anything of interest you need to bring it to me. If you have a grievance with anybody, you tell me. If I'm not around, the guys with daylight rings are my inner circle. You know Toby of course and you met Diego I believe. My buddy Thierry is my second in command. You'll meet him tonight."

I nodded and sat on the bed.

"When did you want me to start with the witches?"

"Tomorrow. Today you can just settle in. Although feel free to look around their areas to get a sense of it if you like."

He left. I unpacked my bag and looked around, at a loss of what to do. I decided to take Marcel's advice and explore the area. I had a few menial tasks to do as well in order to try and make life a little easier. I visited the bank first so that I could actually have some cash, and then set about aimlessly. I bought some new clothes, several sizes too big so that I could keep my bump hidden as it grew. I knew eventually I'd need to bite the bullet and get maternity clothes but for the time being these would do.

I did a bit of googling on my phone and found that there was a small doctor's surgery in the area where I could get my pre-natal check up. It took some wandering around but I found the doctor's surgery and, after some hesitation, I went in.

"Hello, can I help you?" asked the perky receptionist.

"Hi, I was hoping I could get a check-up?"

"Well normally you'd need to call in advance but we do have a cancellation coming up if you can wait half an hour?"

"That's fine."

"Can I take your name please?"

"Elena Gilbert."

"Thank you, Miss Gilbert. Have a seat."

I sat down in the uncomfortable waiting room chair, fiddling awkwardly with the hem of my t-shirt. The time passed slowly but eventually the receptionist called my name. I went through to the examination room where the doctor was waiting. He was a young man and he smiled when I came in.

"Hello there Miss Gilbert. Please, make yourself comfortable." I sat down in the weird examination chair as he clicked on something on his computer. "I notice that your records don't have any previous check ups for this little guy or girl?"

"No… I have been… struggling to process it."

"Well that's understandable. We'll run a few tests, make sure everything is as it should be. Do you know how far along you are?"

"Not the exact amount. I know I'm between 18 and 23 weeks."

"That's quite a wide bracket." I looked away. "Well let's get started on those tests and make sure you're both okay."

He busied himself with various equipment, taking a blood sample from my arm before getting the ultrasound machine. I carefully rolled up my top, revealing my belly. He squirted some cold jelly onto my skin and ran the probe over my stomach. After a moment, a steady sound came from the monitor as it picked up my heartbeat. Then came a smaller one. I kept my head turned away from the screen, reluctant to look over and see.

"There's the little one." He looked over at me. "Did you want to know the gender?"

"Umm… no, I think I'll wait." In my mind if I knew the gender it would make it a real person and then I wasn't sure how I'd be able to handle it.

"Okay, that's fine. Everything seems to be good. I can't see any abnormalities which is a good sign. I'd say you're around 22 weeks gone." He smiled at me. "I'll print off a copy of the image for you to look at later… if you want?"

I bit my lip.

"Yeah… I guess…" I hesitated. "You must think I'm a horrible mother."

"No… I understand that it can be difficult sometimes. I've had women break down in that chair when they see their children." He printed the picture for me and tucked it into an envelope. "I'll need a urine sample to send off with the blood sample, just to make sure you're healthy too. Did you want me to send the results to the address on your file or do you have an alternative?"

"I have a new address."

"Then you'll need to fill in some paperwork with my receptionist." He handed me a small vial for my urine sample along with the envelope. "Fill that and then you're all done."

I nodded, went into the toilet to fill my sample before dropping it off. I did the paperwork in reception and then headed back into the street, putting the envelope with the picture into my pocket.

I came to a small bar with a sign proclaiming that they served food, and decided to stop in to have a drink and maybe a bite to eat. It was fairly quiet inside, dimly lit but in a way that made it feel cosy more than dingy. The bartender, a young blonde woman, smiled at me as I approached.

"Hello there, what can I get you?"

"Can I just have some water please? And whatever you'd recommend to eat?"

"That'd be the gumbo. Our chef, Sophie, makes the best gumbo in the quarter." She smiled. "I'll get that for you."

I took a seat in the corner and relaxed, making myself comfortable. The bartender brought me over a drink and I gave her a grateful smile. It was quite pleasant just sitting there without anything to worry about.

A young dark haired woman came out with a bowl of gumbo. She set it down and as she did so, her hand brushed my arm. She froze instantly, her eyes locking on me. I sighed softly.

"Witch?" I said, keeping my voice quiet.

"Yes…"

"Figures. So far only your kind have even really noticed this." I wondered if that was a thing all witches could do. That witch at the store had certainly reacted to it. Could they sense the full extent of what I was carrying or was there just a sense of wrongness around it?

"How did that happen?"

"I… I'm not sure… do you think you… or someone you know might be able to help me work it out?"

"We might be able to. We're not supposed to do magic but I'm sure someone in the community might be able to work out why you've managed this."

She left without another word. My good mood was sort of dampened by the talk but I tried not to let it bother me. I ate my gumbo and drank my water, before paying and headed out to the quarter once again. It was starting to get dark, the lanterns that were fixed to the walls has been lit and were flickering merrily.

I returned to Marcel's compound. It was busier now. The atmosphere was excited and happy and there was a small group of people playing instruments. People were laughing, drinking. Marcel saw me as I entered and beckoned me over. I went to his side and he cleared his throat, instantly commanding the attention of his group.

"Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we welcome a new member to our community. This is Elena and from this night she is one of us." The assembled group cheered. I smiled slightly. Marcel was different to how I'd expected him to be. Klaus used intimidation and fear to keep control, while Marcel's seemed to genuinely like him and want to serve him. Marcel turned to me. "I want to introduce you to someone."

Marcel led me over to a tall guy with dark hair, wearing a hoodie and flat cap. He was playing a trumpet and we waited for his song to finish before approaching.

"Elena, I want you to meet my right hand man, Thierry. He'll be accompanying you in your trips to the witches."

"Nice to meet you," I said, smiling. He glanced at me and frowned slightly.

"Weren't you with that lunatic Klaus?"

"I… I know him."

"How well?"

"Thierry… Elena is one of us now. I know you don't like Klaus but I will not hear you slander him in my house. If it weren't for him, none of us would be here." Thierry grumbled softly but nodded, returning his attention to his trumpet. I glanced at Marcel who shrugged and ushered me away.

"Don't worry about him. He's too loyal for his own good and he's still sore about Klaus biting Diego in his last visit. But he's the best person to help with the witches and I'm sure he'll warm up to you soon enough. Anyway, for tonight just enjoy yourself. Every night's a party in this town," He grinned and wandered off.

I found a seat and settled down, quietly content to people watch. I was mildly concerned that this was going to end up the same way as the other party had, with people suddenly dying, but it seemed like there was only vampires here tonight. I still wasn't sure if this was the best choice for me but at least it seemed like a better idea. There were more people, they took care of one another. Then again, I didn't know how they'd react when I told them about my pregnancy. I could foresee it going one of two ways. Either they'd be excited by the prospect of vampires potentially somehow being able to have kids or they'd see me as a threat and try to kill me. I just hoped it was the former. I would hide it for as long as I could with loose clothes and just hope that the witches wouldn't say anything. The longer I hid it, the more time I'd have to come up with a back-up plan if Marcel decided I constituted a threat.

* * *

The party went on late into the night. I spent most of it by myself, just observing, but I talked to a few people. I wanted to get a better idea of who Marcel was and what his people thought of him. They all seemed genuinely nice and happy to be helping him. I didn't want to let my guard down but I was beginning to feel more comfortable with my decision to leave the bayou.

It didn't look like they were planning on winding down anytime soon. I suppose that those without daylight rings had adopted a purely nocturnal lifestyle and were planning on making the most of it. Still, I was too tired to stay for the whole thing. I hadn't really slept properly over the past few days at the bayou, too caught up in my introspection. I went up to my bedroom and was about to get in when I caught sight of the full length mirror in the corner of the room. I paused before stripping off and moving to stand in front it. This was the first time I'd really been able to look at myself full on.

I ran my eyes over myself. My body was unfamiliar to me, it was like I was looking at a stranger. I started at the top, moving my eyes slowly downwards, taking in every little detail. My hair was far longer and seemed thicker, shinier than before. There was a thin silver scar across my forehead, barely visible under my fringe but there if I concentrated hard enough. My eyes held a hollowness, like my soul had been stripped out. I was paler too and my cheekbones were more prominent. My neck seemed empty without my necklace, too exposed and naked. I felt vulnerable looking at it. There was another scar, barely visible running from beneath my chin, down the hollow of my throat and across my collarbone. I traced it with my finger, confused by it.

Moving down from my face to my body where I felt the most disturbing change. I was thinner, incredibly so which made my swollen breasts and distended stomach seem all the more grotesque to me. Despite the thinness, my limbs seemed thicker in muscle. The whole thing made me uncomfortable to look at.

My eyes paused over my heart and a shudder ran down my spine. The bandages were still in place, although I had no idea if they were needed. I carefully unwrapped them, bracing myself for what might be beneath. I took in the jagged scar, horrifically visible in comparison to the small hidden ones that were dotted about my person, but oddly enough I didn't feel fear or revulsion at the sight of it. I felt… pride. Looking at it, I felt stronger.

My eyes moved to my stomach. It wasn't as large as I'd first thought in my shocked state. Clearly visible when naked but still concealable with loose clothes. Another pale scar bisected the bulge and I shivered. I knew without looking that I'd find another on each thigh and the soles of my feet. It was like a physical reminder of the parts of me that the siblings had taken, the link between us that had been so violently severed.

I turned away sharply, no longer able to look at myself. I pulled on my pyjamas and climbed into bed, curling up under the covers.

* * *

 **A/N: I know everyone's eager for the originals the return. I can guarantee at least one will be in chapter five (maybe the end of chapter four, haven't decided yet). In the meantime, I hope you're enjoying this sequel. I'm always unsure about my sequels.**


	5. Chapter IV

**A/N: I put off trying to sleep so that i could get this up for you guys :)**

* * *

The next morning I was up bright and early. I went downstairs and was surprised to see Marcel already up.

"Good morning Elena," he said, looking up from his paper. I paused, taken aback by the amount he reminded me of Elijah. I pushed away the thoughts and concentrated.

"Morning… do you ever sleep?"

"Only when I've got nothing better to do." He gave me a grin. I couldn't help but smile back. He was such a warm easy going person, it was impossible not to be charmed by him. "Are you off to see the witches?"

"I was going to, yes. Also, I wanted to ask you something. I met a witch at a bar yesterday, I was wondering if you knew her name."

"Which bar?"

"Rousseau's. She was the chef?"

"That's Sophie Deveraux. Her and her sister Jane-Anne work there. Was she causing trouble?"

"No, I just thought it was a good idea to put a name to the face. And I'd like to talk to her again, try and get her recipe for gumbo."

"Good luck with that. She keeps it close to her chest."

"I can be very persistent." I smiled. "I'll see you later."

"Thierry's not up yet and he's supposed to be accompanying you. Why don't you have some breakfast first?"

"I don't mind going alone. He can meet me there?"

"It's up to you but I'd feel more comfortable if you took Thierry." I considered this. I wasn't used to being given the choice. Ordinarily it was a matter of 'I know better than you and you will do this to keep you safe'.

"Alright, I'll wait." I decided to follow Marcel's advice, partly as a sign of respect and partly because it was probably a lot safer to go with Thierry. I went through to the kitchen area. My appetite hadn't been particularly good lately but I knew that I needed to eat so I started making myself breakfast. As I was looking through the fridge, I spotted a blood bag tucked into the corner. I paused, my eyes fixed on the bag. I felt a strange desire to tear it open and drink the liquid inside. I reached for the bag unconsciously. My fingers brushed against it, the cold plastic restoring my senses. I pulled back sharply.

I headed back out.

"I'm going to head off. I just need some air."

"Are you sure you don't want to wait for Thierry?"

"There's no need to wait for Thierry, Thierry is here," said Thierry, appearing in the doorway. He gestured for me to lead on. I headed out of the building with him, walking in silence for a few minutes. A realization hit me. If I went into the witches' quarter, they'd all freak out the way Sophie had. And then Thierry would find out my secret and he'd tell Marcel. Fuck.

I waited until I felt we were a decent distance away from the compound before I spoke up.

"You know, you don't have to come if you don't want to. I can take care of myself."

"Marcel asked me too and I do what he says." I suppressed a groan. As much as I admired his loyalty, I was beginning to wish Marcel had sent someone else with me who'd be more willing to bend the rules.

I stayed quiet, wondering what to do. Thierry walked in silence, leading the way. He stopped abruptly and turned to me.

"This is what the others call 'Witches Alley'. Most of the French Quarter Witches live, work and hang out around here." He waited for me to take the lead, falling into the role of bodyguard. I took a deep breath and entered the street. As I walked, people around me stopped and turned to stare. It was easy to tell who were witches and who were just tourists passing through. Even though some of the witches stopped staring very quickly, I saw them glancing in my direction. Thierry eyed them warily, clearly confused.

"Do… they normally act like this?" I asked, quietly hoping that they might just be reacting to the threatening vampire behind me.

"No… normally they're more discrete with their staring. And when a vampire comes near they usually clear out fairly quickly."

I hesitated, unsure if I wanted to go any further. An older woman passed by and paused, taking us both in.

"Well now, what have we done to warrant a video from Marcel's lapdog?" she asked.

"We're not here to cause trouble. Elena is Marcel's new envoy to your people. She's here to listen to all your complaints and concerns and relay them back to him," Thierry explained. I smiled nervously. The woman frowned.

"That's oddly considerate of him." She turned to me. "I am Agnes, one of the Elders of the French Quarter coven. Come and sit with me, we will talk." I followed her over to a small table she had set up with fortune telling gear. Thierry made to follow and she gave him a sharp look.

"I'll be… around when you're ready to go," Thierry said and quickly retreated. I got the feeling the witches made him nervous.

I sat opposite Agnes, aware that the others were still staring at me, now far more openly that Thierry was gone.

"They're afraid of you."

"I'm not a threat."

"You are the greatest threat. A creature outside of nature, something not bound to normal rules. Our path is about ensuring the balance of nature. You are a great threat to us. As is…" she trailed off.

"You can sense it to?"

"No. Sophie Deveraux told us of your arrival. She has a unique ability to detect these things."

"I asked her if she knew why this was happening to me. I don't suppose you know?"

"In part it is because of what you are. That is what has allowed you to carry this child. Had it been conceived in another, nature would have ensured that the body rejected it."

"So being a doppelganger lets me keep it… but what got me pregnant in the first place?"

"Dark magic. Far darker than any witch should ever possess. Are you aware of any magic being placed on you?"

"Yes… I was bound to five original vampires." Her expression became grave and she stiffened slightly before leaning in closer, her voice hushed.

"Are you still?"

"No. Another two witches did a different spell which bound me to another vampire. But he's dead now." I didn't want to add 'I think' on the end. That might open a whole new bunch of issues.

"Hmm. I believe I may know what has happened. The magic which bound you to these vampires, did it allow you to make use of their abilities?"

"Some of them. I healed faster. And there was one time when I could access their senses for a short time."

"It is as I thought. This spell would have called for the merging of blood, yes?"

"Yes."

"It is dark blood magic that was cast on you. By binding you to these vampires, your essence and theirs were merged. You took on traits of the vampire and they took on traits of the human, thus allowing them to conceive."

"So, would this happen for any vampire who was bonded to me with the same spell?" I tried to keep the panic out of my voice but a small amount slipped in. I'd experienced being an ingredient for a spell before. It was not a pleasant experience and I did not want it to happen again.

"Yes." She paused. "Do any vampires know of this yet?"

"No. I've been keeping it hidden. Obviously, your people know. And one untriggered werewolf is aware of its true nature."

"I would advise you keep it that way. The more people who know, the greater the chance that you will be harmed. My kind would certainly not wish vampires to be able to procreate with ease and I can imagine that the werewolves would not want that either." I nodded and sighed softly.

"I won't say anything to anyone." I decided to change the subject. "So, I suppose I'm here to listen to your grievances? Any messages you want me to pass to Marcel?"

"Yes. My coven needs to practice. Our faith is centred in our magic and we need to conduct our ceremonies at the very least on festival days and days of significance. This is the bear minimum I'm asking for"

"I'll ask him. I can't guarantee anything obviously."

"Well, conversation is the first step to change. It would be much appreciated if we could practice freely once again." She gave a slight smile. "In the meantime, please introduce yourself to the rest of the coven. I promise they will not harm either of you. And if you visit Sophie, I am sure she will be able to assist you with your… condition."

I nodded and got to my feet. I began to wander the area, intending to talk to some of the others in the coven. However most of them just stared at me warily and retreated when I got too close. I sighed and decided to find Thierry so I could leave.

I spotted his capped head in a shop called Jardin Gris. I let myself in, a small bell ringing as I entered. A strange sense of calm settled over me as I came in. There was a rich spicy smell in the air which I realised was coming from a small bowl of smoking powder.

I looked around, examining the herbs on display. I wondered how much of it was real and how much was just used to attract tourists. Thierry hadn't noticed me yet, too caught up in conversation with a pretty young witch who was behind the register. I peered between the shelves, watching them silently. He reached over and gently brushed some hair from her cheek.

Oh shit. Were they…?

Fuck.

If Thierry was dating the witch, then chances were that she'd tell him about my secret. And he'd tell Marcel. There was no way I'd be able to convince him not to.

I quietly slipped back out of the shop and walked briskly, not really sure where I was going or what I was going to do. I turned to leave the street when I heard Thierry calling my name. I paused and looked back. He jogged over to catch up with me.

"You all done then?"

"I… yeah, pretty much. The other witches didn't seem so keen on talking."

"They can be fairly self-contained and most of them aren't keen on anyone involved with vampires." Did he know? I couldn't tell. He seemed to be in a far better mood than before but that could just be from seeing the girl.

I decided not to bring it up. If he did know, I couldn't do anything anyway. If he didn't know and I mentioned it then I'd lose any chance I had to keep it secret.

We walked in silence again back to the compound. I spotted a few of Marcel's men on the street handing out flyers for a party tonight. That was probably going to be another one of their murder feasting parties. Another issue to think of.

God, why couldn't things ever be simple?

* * *

Thierry didn't mention anything the entire journey back and when we got back, he said nothing to Marcel. It looked like I was in the clear. I was still nervous that his girlfriend might bring it up at another time but for the time being all I could do was wait and keep an eye on him.

I found out that there was a party planned for that night and Marcel confirmed it was so his people would feed. I decided to use the opportunity to go back to Rousseau's and talk to Sophie again. That would at least keep me away from everything so I didn't have to listen to all the helpless people screaming.

When it got dark, I slipped out of the compound and headed down the winding streets towards Rousseau's. I was about halfway there when a strange smell wafted to my nostrils from a side street. I felt my mouth watering at the smell that was both familiar and new. I turned off my path and followed it, oblivious to everything else around me.

The side street was dark and almost completely empty. There was one person there, a young man who was examining his knee where there was a large tear in his jeans. In the flickering light from the lanterns, I could see blood staining his skin. It looked almost black in this light.

Hypnotized by the sight, I moved towards him. He looked up as I approached and opened his mouth to speak but fell silent before any words were spoken. He stared at me, mouth slack, eyes vacant. I knelt down, eyes locked with his. I wasn't aware of my movements but at the same time, everything felt very precise. It was like… some kind of dark instinct had been woken inside of me.

I gently ran my fingers over his knee, gathering the blood on the digits. My mind screamed at me to stop but I couldn't…

I brought the fingers to my mouth and licked them. A moan escaped my lips and I closed my eyes, in ecstasy. I leant down ran my tongue over the wound.

"Mmm…"

Shit what was I doing?

I leapt to my feet, suddenly horrified. I scampered back, watching the man to see if he made any move. He was still staring into space, as if in a trance. I turned and ran off, letting the darkness swallow me up.

Once I reached the main street I let myself slow down and eventually stop. I leant against a wall, closing my eyes and taking deep breaths. I could feel blood staining my lips and I hurriedly wiped it away. How had I done that? My hands were trembling, fingers faintly red. I could see the sign for Rousseau's further down the street and I headed that way.

I slipped through the bar and into the toilet at the back. I looked at my reflection as little as possible as I washed the blood off my hands. No matter how many times I tried to clean them, I still felt like it wasn't enough. I was positive that the second I entered the bar someone would realize what I'd done.

Eventually I had to leave the bathroom though. I went back into the bar, moving slowly and hesitantly. It was busier than the day before. Everyone was busy having a good time. No one reacted to me, or even looked at me. No one knew. No one cared.

I slumped into a chair, resting my head on the table as I tried to ground myself. The bartender from the day before brought me over a water and gave me a comforting smile. I took a few moments, letting myself relax and my body unclench. I wasn't sure why it had happened but I was sure it was a one-time thing. It had to be. It would be. I wouldn't let it happen again, I was certain of that.

I still felt vaguely nauseous at the thought of what I'd done but it was tolerable. In my mind it was easy to separate the act and the knowledge of what I'd done, probably because to me the blood hadn't tasted like… well, like blood. Which was probably the only reason I wasn't throwing up at the thought of it.

Sophie came out of the kitchen and spotted me. She made to come over but the bartender diverted her attention, pointing to a man at the end of the bar. He was sitting so his back was to me, hunched up, head down with a number of glasses in front of him.

"Excuse me." The bar was loud but Sophie's voice carried. "I think you've had enough. Time for you to leave."

The man mumbled something unintelligible in response.

"Look, I've told you before. You can come in here but you can't keep drinking this much. Last time you went nuts and beat up our customers. So you can leave peacefully now and we'll see you tomorrow when you're sober or you can fight and I'll bar you."

"Fuck you," said the man. "I'll drink as much as I bloody like."

I froze. Shit. Really?

* * *

 **A/N: Can i sleep now?**


	6. Chapter V

**A/N: Had a terrible day at work. Time to make some fictional characters suffer for it!**

* * *

"Kol, you need to leave," Sophie said. "Now."

I sank down in my chair, fists clenching so tightly that my nails dug into the palms of my hands. He still had his back to me and I was hoping he wouldn't notice me. It was strange to think how much had changed. A few days ago I would have jumped at the chance to see Kol again. And then, a few months ago the sight of him would have filled me with dread. Much like now, albeit for different reasons.

"Fuck you!" Kol shrugged Sophie off and got to his feet. "I'm leaving!"

He turned, swaying slightly. I wondered how much he'd drunk. Could I convince him I was a figment of his imagination?

No, probably not. He'd never met Katherine so maybe I could pretend to be her? Or would he be able to smell the human in me? I wasn't sure. Had to be a better way. Maybe I could hide in the bathroom till he was gone?

But… why should I? They'd left me. They had abandoned me, not the other way around. I was strong now, I didn't need to be afraid of them. I refused to.

Kol's eyes roamed the bar drunkenly, trying to locate the door. They paused on me before continuing. Maybe he hadn't recognized me?

"Elena." Suddenly he was at my side. I guess he had recognized me after all. I hadn't wanted to do this now (or indeed at all) but in a way, I supposed that it was better to get it out in the open and air my grievances over what they had done to me. I only wished that I'd had the chance to say it to all of them instead of just Kol who was probably too drunk to remember it the next morning.

I sighed and lifted my head to meet his gaze, fixing an expression of boredom onto my face.

"Do I know you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Elena. Come on. It's me. Stop being stupid."

Stupid? So it was stupid for me to have feelings? For me not to welcome him back with open arms after they'd abandoned me in a forest? Oh I was going to enjoy this.

"Oh right, now I remember. You're one of the assholes who kidnapped me, brainwashed me, and made me care about you before abandoning me in the middle of nowhere after I saved your ass. Am I remember that correctly?" He stared at me, seemingly in shock. Sophie came over and hovered nearby.

"Elena… what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you and your cowardly brothers tricking me into caring about you, making a game out of torturing me and trying to sleep with me, only so that you could discard me!" My voice rose and I noticed a few of the bar's patrons glance over in our direction. Sophie stepped forward, clearly hoping to avoid a scene.

"Is this man bothering you…?" I looked at her and then back at Kol. He was staring at me in a state of drunken shock as if he couldn't really comprehend what was happening. I got to my feet.

"No, Sophie he's fine. He's just some pathetic drunk that I thought I knew. And I'm leaving anyway." I pushed past him and exited the bar, heading onto the street. I could hear Kol calling after me but I ignored him, keeping my head down and my eyes fixed on the path ahead.

"Elena, stop!" He grabbed my arm. I turned sharply.

"Get your hands off me!" He flinched like I'd slapped him.

"Elena… please."

I pulled my arm free and felt another one of those strange painful twinges in my stomach, far worse than it had been any of the times before, and I doubled over, wincing. Kol reached for me and I pulled away, forcing myself to ignore the pain. My movement was so sharp I nearly fell to the floor as I stumbled away from him.

"Don't touch me!"

"Why are you being like this?"

"I gave up my life for your family. I left everything I knew because you were running and scared. I fell for every lie you told me and I… I trusted you all. And… you abandoned me Kol. All of you. I died trying to save you and you didn't even care." I took a few steps back. "Don't follow me, don't talk to me. I never want to see any of you again. You're dead to me."

I turned away and walked off, never once looking back. I waited until I was a few streets away before stopping. There was no sign of Kol so I presumed he'd not followed me. I leant against the wall, wrapping my arms around my stomach, willing the pain to go away.

"What is wrong with you?" I whispered. This couldn't be normal… I concentrated on my breathing, keeping it slow and regular. Eventually the pain subsided. I waited to make sure it was gone before continuing on my way. I headed back to Marcel's compound and let myself in. I could hear loud music so it seemed they'd not reached the murder part of their murder party.

I had planned to go straight upstairs and take a bath but I felt drawn to the pulsating music. I slipped into the party room and mixed in with the crowd. The music was so loud, the lights bright. I felt that I was no longer a person, I was just part of this great entity of people. And it was amazing. I closed my eyes, moving to the music. I tried not to think about the last time I'd been at one of these… with Kol and Rebekah. Their betrayals hurt the worst. I'd grown so close to them and it had been so good to see another side to them that wasn't the one they showed to the world. I'd got to know them as people… or I thought I had. Everything I'd shared with them. Every bit of myself I'd given to them, that had all been a lie.

I pushed all thoughts of the Mikaelsons from my head. They weren't worth my time and they certainly weren't worth my tears. My only disappointment was that I hadn't had a chance to talk to Sophie about the child and the… side effects, I was experiencing.

I felt hands on my waist as some drunk partier moved into my space. I didn't push him off, instead I moved with him, letting us sway together to the music. After a few minutes, he took my hand and made to leave the dance floor, pausing to see if I would follow. I hesitated for a moment before letting him lead me to a darkened corner of the room. His mouth went to my throat, kissing softly, his hands sliding up my sides. I wasn't sure why I was doing this. It was almost like I needed to prove something, to myself and to the siblings. Being with them for so long, it was as though they'd begun to define me as a person and I wasn't allowed to feel certain emotions without them. I felt like I needed to purge my body of them. I didn't need them. I was a person in my own right.

The man's hand slid lower and I looked up. For a second I saw Kol's face. I flinched and pulled back. He frowned, confused. I shook my head and quickly disappeared into the crowd, before letting myself out of the room.

I went upstairs to my bedroom and headed out onto the balcony. I sat down, slotting my legs through the metal fence that surrounded it. Was I ever going to really be free of them? Would they continue to haunt my thoughts even as months passed? I supposed that eventually the memories would fade and with them the emotions. Everything faded. All I could do was look to the future.

I felt something digging into my leg through my jeans and I rooted around in my pocket. I found the small envelope that the doctor had given me the day before.

I hesitated, unsure if I was ready, but after a moment's thought I opened the envelope and slid out the small picture. I smiled to myself and gently ran my finger over it. I could do this. I was strong enough. For the first time, I had the feeling that everything might be okay after all.

I looked down at the street below, at life going on all around me. I felt content. Maybe this was where I belonged. New Orleans was a city like no other and I was a person who didn't fit in. Maybe here, in a town of magic and… just… endless, pure, life going on… maybe this was my true home.

My eyes landed on a figure standing across the street from Marcel's compound. They seemed to have their head angled up to look at my balcony. I couldn't tell in the dim light but it looked like Kol. I looked down at him and oddly, I felt nothing. No anger, no sadness. Just… empty.

I got to my feet and left the balcony, closing the door firmly behind me. I double checked the lock and tucked my photograph into the back page of my journal. I undressed and got into bed, wrapping the covers around myself.

* * *

It didn't take me long to get to sleep but I didn't stay that way for long. I wasn't sure what woke me and at first I didn't even realize anything had but gradually I became aware that I was staring at the ceiling. I got out of bed. The floor was cold on my bare feet but I barely felt it. My head was filled with a disorientating buzzing that reverberated around my skull and my limbs felt heavy. My mind seemed to be a separate thing from my body, unable to control what I was doing while still retaining full awareness.

I silently left the room and down the stairs, moving silently as a ghost. I passed the party room which had been tidied up already, leaving no trace of what had happened there, and went into the kitchen. I stood in front of the fridge, motionless for a moment, before reaching forward and opening the door. The light filled the room with an eerie blueish glow. My skin looked deathly pale, my veins dark against the skin. I reached in and pulled out a blood bag. I stared at it for a long time, turning it over in my hand. I brought it to my mouth and tore through the plastic with my teeth. The blood bubbled up and filled my mouth. Some of it spilled, splashing on the floor and running down my chin. I clutched the bag tighter, desperate not to waste a single drop of it. It slipped down my throat, deliciously thick and intoxicating.

"Oooh…."

I squeezed the bag, spraying myself with its contents. My body felt alive. My skin was on fire and there was electricity in my veins, filling me with energy that surpassed anything I'd ever felt before. I was like an animal, senseless to what was going on as I sucked the bag dry and discarded it. I licked my lips, relishing in the taste of it.

Not enough…

I reached in and grabbed another, dropping to my knees to see into the fridge more clearly. I drained the second bag, holding it high and letting it drip onto my eager tongue. God it felt so good…

Small noises were coming from my lips, moans and hungry grunts. I finished the second bag and ripped open another, feasting. My breathing was coming in frantic heavy pants as I slurped the liquid down. My movements were getting clumsier as the blood lust took over me. I was more violent with each bag I ripped, spilling more on the floor than went in my mouth but I didn't care. I just knew I needed more.

I gulped down a bag without pausing for breath before tossing the useless plastic aside and letting out a starved gasp as oxygen returned to me. It felt stale compared to the delicious beauty of the blood.

Eventually I reached into the fridge and came back empty. I'd finished all the bags but I still wasn't sated. I whimpered, searching for something else that might quench my thirst. My hands were bloody from my careless ripping and I licked them eagerly, trying to get one more drop of that precious life giving fluid. Not enough, still not enough.

A deep pain had started in my stomach, a twisting hunger that threatened to rise up and consume me. I rocked back and forth, raking my fingers across my scalp, eyes rolling back in my head and teeth snapping at the air. The noises coming from my mouth no longer resembled anything human. Had anyone come near the kitchen they would have thought that an animal was in there, suffering slowly.

I let out a strangled snarl. I needed more!

I lowered my mouth to the tiled floor and licked, desperately trying to suck up anything that might still linger there. When I found nothing more, all I could do was curl up on the tiles. My hands were trembling and every slight movement I made sent the room spinning around me. I suddenly felt trapped in my own body and I clawed at my skin, desperate for something that would alleviate my torment.

More

More.

MORE!

* * *

 **A/N: I was originally going to have Klaus as the one in the bar but i felt that Kol worked better with my overall plot. He was my favourite to write about in the last story so it's nice to have him back!**


	7. Chapter VI

Sunlight filtered in through the gap in my curtains. I stretched out, groaning softly. I felt deliciously warm and comfortable. I rolled over, trying to hide from the intrusive light. Something crackled underneath me and my hand came into contact with something cold and out of place amongst the soft blankets I could feel around me.

I opened my eyes slowly. I was in bed. My blankets were strewn haphazardly around me and there was crumpled plastic on the bed. I sat up slowly, confused. My pyjamas, once white, were now speckled red and the cuffs of my sleeves were stiff with dried blood. I got to my feet and moved to the mirror. My bare skin was stained rusty brown, there wasn't an uncovered part of me that had escaped. I turned and looked at the bed, taking it in fully. The pillow was soaked with blood and I now saw that the plastic was torn open blood bags.

My breathing hitched. Shit. What did I do?

I closed my eyes and took a moment to clear my head. I couldn't let anyone find out about this. I had to get rid of the evidence. I stripped the bed and piled the bedding in the corner of the room. I discarded my dirty pyjamas in the pile before heading through to the bathroom. I turned on the shower, switching it to the hottest setting before getting in. The water burned my skin but I didn't care. I stood perfectly still, arms hanging stiffly at my sides as the water cut through the coating of blood on my skin, sending tiny pink rivulets running down to pool around my feet.

I closed my eyes. What had happened last night? I couldn't really remember. I mean, it was a fairly easy guess based on the evidence but why…? I felt like I was losing control of my body all over again and I hated it.

There was a loud knock at my bedroom door. I wrapped a towel around myself and went over, opening it a crack and peeking out. Thierry was stood there and he raised an eyebrow as he saw me.

"Bad time?"

"I was just taking a shower. What's up?"

"Marcel wants to see everyone downstairs."

"Okay. Give me five minutes to get dressed?" He nodded and turned to go. He paused in the doorway and sniffed. "Have you hurt yourself?"

"No. Why?"

"I just… never mind." He left. I disappeared back into my room and quickly pulled on some clean clothes. My eyes rested on the bundle of dirty sheets and pyjamas. He'd smelt it. I needed to get rid of them as soon as possible.

I shoved them into the back of my wardrobe and headed downstairs. Everyone was gathered, looking confused. Marcel waited until everyone was there before speaking.

"We are a community. And this community only works as long as we are honest with one another." His eyes swept the group. "We share what we have and look out for one another. But it appears that someone has decided that their own needs are more important than the needs of the group."

I bit my lip. He held up an empty blood bag, shredded almost beyond recognition.

"Blood bags are scarce. They are difficult to acquire without being noticed. This is why we hunt. These are for emergencies only. Yet someone has not only ravaged our supply, they also broke my number one rule."

A whisper passed through the crowd. I frowned.

"Last night one of our number was killed. We will not rest until the perpetrator is found and punished."

I felt the colour drain from my cheeks. Had I killed someone? I had been chewing my bottom lip to shreds and I prayed no one would notice.

"If the culprit comes forward, the punishment will still be severe but it will be lessened than if I have to seek them out myself." He eyed us all. "You are dismissed."

Everyone slipped away, clearly on edge. I hesitated. I wasn't sure what to do. If I told him, Marcel probably wouldn't believe me and it would lead to questions I didn't want to answer (and that I didn't really know the answers to). But if I said nothing and he found out… I didn't want to think about what his punishment might be.

I went up to my room and crammed all evidence of my nocturnal activities into a bag. I resolved to get rid of it today before anyone could find it. I just hoped that no one would stop me on my way out.

I took the bag and headed back downstairs, keeping my eye out for any sign of Marcel or Thierry.

Fortunately, I made it outside without incident. I headed a few streets over and went to dump the bag in a bin. I paused as I considered what I was doing. A bin wouldn't be a good idea… Someone could easily find it.

I redirected myself to the river and found a spot that was quiet. I threw the bag in and watched as it sank from view, breathing a sigh of relief. I would have to be careful not to have a repeat performance.

As I looked out at the water, I felt a peculiar sense of being watched. I turned my head slightly and saw Kol stood a few feet back, watching me.

"Go away Kol."

"No." He came over. "What were you doing?"

"None of your business. Go away."

"Elena, I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going to lose you again."

"You didn't lose me. You abandoned me. Now, if you don't leave, I'm going to stake you."

"With what? You got a pencil hidden in your sleeve?"

"Okay maybe I can't stake you but I'm sure I can find another way to make you suffer." I paused, something occurring as I watched him. "That was you I saw last night. Outside my building?"

"You mean Marcel's building. I was surprised that you went straight for another group of vampires since you seemed so adamantly against them last night."

"I wasn't against vampires Kol. Just you and your family. Marcel is the less of the evils on offer. And things were perfectly pleasant there until you decided to stake one of Marcel's guys and put everyone on high alert."

"I can't take credit for that. And come on Elena, you can't be happy here. Just come with me and we'll make sure you're taken care of."

I walked over to him until there was only an inch between us. I looked up into his eyes and took his hand in mine.

"Kol, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I am not as helpless as you like to pretend that I am. Or as you actually are." He scoffed.

"Helpless? Me?"

"Yes." I pulled off his daylight ring and stepped back. "At least I can take a little sunlight."

He looked down at his hand, realising what I'd done a second before his skin started to smoulder. He sped off to safety. I put the ring in my pocket, confident that I'd least managed to stop him stalking me until sunset.

I left the river and went to Rousseau's to find Sophie. The blonde bartender was there and she looked up as I entered.

"Good morning."

"Morning. Is Sophie in?"

"No, she has the day off. But she did say that you might stop by and left a message for you." She handed me an envelope and I perched at the bar to read it. "I'm Cami by the way, I don't think I introduced myself."

"I'm Elena. It's nice to officially meet you." I opened the envelope and quickly scanned through the note inside. It asked me to meet Sophie in two days' time in the Witches Alley. I tucked the letter away, wondering what to do with the rest of my day. I didn't want to go back to the compound in case Marcel turned his attention to me and even though I'd taken Kol's ring, I was worried he might still be lurking somewhere.

"Are you alright? You look a little out of sorts."

"Just… drama."

"Want to talk about it? Bartenders make good listeners. Especially ones who are studying psychology." I considered for a moment. It would be nice to get an outsider's perspective on things.

"Promise not to judge?"

"I promise."

"Okay. I was… involved with these guys. I knew they were bad news but I was kind of stuck with them for a long time. And I began to care about them. And then they just… abandoned me."

"Let me guess, that guy last night was one of them?"

"Yeah."

"And now you're conflicted about how to feel?"

"A little. I've been trying to stop myself caring just to make it easier. But I don't think it's working. It's easier to act like I don't care but every time I say anything to him, I just… I feel terrible after."

"It's not a bad thing to care Elena. Humans are social creatures, they need to make connections. If you try and isolate yourself from everyone, you'll just end up hurting yourself even more by being alone."

"I know that. But can't I just make new connections and find a way to block out everything to do with those particular people?"

"Unfortunately the human mind doesn't work like that. I'm sure the feelings will fade with time but they'll always linger. You just need to find a way to resolve things with him in a healthy way. Between you and me, I think he needs to do the same. It didn't look like he was over you."

"That's just part of the games they play. That one especially. They like to pretend that they care and that you're changing them into better people but really it's just a cruel trick to see how far they can make you fall."

"Hmm. I'm not so sure that's true. No one's that good an actor. And if he was trying to trick you he didn't need to come in here and drown his sorrows day after day. He only had to do it when he knew you were around to witness it."

"Maybe he just enjoys getting drunk."

"My professional opinion?"

"Professional as a bartender or a psychologist?"

"Psychologist. You need to forgive. I don't mean him, I mean yourself. You're clearly carrying a lot of anger, not just directed at them for wronging at you but at yourself for, in your mind, letting it happen. You said that you knew they were bad news but you let yourself develop feelings for them anyway. That sounds like you're blaming yourself for it."

"I guess… I mean, I did feel like I should have known better."

"Exactly. But it's not your fault. And you won't be able to even begin to move on with your life until you learn to accept that you have no control over other people and forgive any negativity you feel towards yourself."

"Hmm. And what does bartender you say?"

"Screw him, get drunk."

"Nice advice but I can't. I'm only eighteen."

"Well then I guess you're stuck listening to psychologist me." I sighed and considered what she'd said. It made sense. I'd not really thought about it before but I suppose I did feel angry at myself for letting this happen. But I'd not had a choice in the matter. I'd had the siblings forced into my head and had them manipulating my emotions.

"Thanks Cami. Is there a fee for the psychiatrist session?" She laughed.

"First one is on the house. I hope it helped."

* * *

I spent most of the day wandering before eventually dragging myself back to the compound. I was hesitant in case Marcel's suspicions had turned to me but when I went inside, everyone seemed calm. I still couldn't believe that I'd been responsible for killing someone (then again, I still couldn't remember the night before clearly) so maybe someone else had actually done it? And maybe Marcel had caught them? I didn't want to ask and provoke any questions.

I went up to my room and remade the bed with clean sheets. I perched on the bed, trying to work out a plan to ensure I didn't take any more night time walks. I tried to fashion some crude imitation ropes from my sheets but it quickly became obvious that they weren't going to hold. I wondered if Marcel had any rope lying around… but how to as without looking insane?

Well there was no way to do that.

I settled for doubling up the imitation ropes for that night and looking for some actual restraints the next day. When night fell, I made sure the room was secure so that I didn't get a visit from Kol and then carefully tied my ankles to the bedframe. Not the best thought out plan or the most efficient but it would do for the time being at least. I was getting a little annoyed that my supposed safe haven was giving me so many issues. At least in the bayou, Kol wouldn't have found me. And there were no blood bags for me to ravage.

Then again, maybe if I'd stayed in the bayou I'd have just walked to the nearest source of blood which could have been anywhere.

I slept fitfully that night, waking up whenever I turned over too quickly and the rope sheets dug into my ankles. When I eventually managed to fall into a deeper sleep, I was woken by a knock at the door. I tried to climb out of bed but forgot about my legs and fell to the floor.

"Ow!"

"Are you alright?" Marcel stuck his head around the door. "Elena… why are you tied to the bed?"

"umm… I've been sleep walking… I was trying to stop it."

"Okay… you have a visitor. I'll send them up…?"

"Thanks." He left and I quickly picked the knots around my ankles. There came another, lighter knock at the door which I assumed was my visitor. I wasn't sure who would be coming to see me. Clearly whoever it was wasn't a threat in Marcel's eyes or he'd never have let them in. It was daylight so it couldn't be Kol. Unless he'd got a new ring that quickly which didn't seem likely given the relationship between witches and vampires and the ban on magic in the quarter. But thinking about the witches, could it be one of them maybe? They probably knew where I was. Although I wasn't entirely sure that they'd brave Marcel's compound full of vampires just to talk to me.

"Come in?" I called out, hesitantly.

* * *

 **A/N: DUN DUN DUH! I'm so mean. Nighttime writing me likes cliffhangers.**


	8. Chapter VII

**A/N: This chapter is up a little later than I intended. Because when I finished work today I was rather angry and now that anger has turned to sadness which has led to me not being very productive.**

* * *

The door open and Rebekah swept into the room. At first glance she seemed like her normal self but as I looked closer I noticed that she seemed slightly disheveled, something very rare for her.

"So imagine my surprise when I get a phone call from my older brother, who last I heard was drinking himself to death in the French Quarter, to say that not only has he just seen my supposedly dead sister but that she has also apparently turned into a crazy vampire killer who stole his daylight ring and tried to burn him to death."

"Surprise. And yes it's true, although I'm sure that when Kol told you this he failed to mention that he was stalking me at the time?"

"He did not. But that's not important right now."

"Oh? What is?" She stared at me.

"Elena, I never thought I'd see you again!"

"Well that tends to happen when you leave someone." She frowned.

"Elena, why are you being like this? This is a happy thing, we found you!"

"I wasn't lost Rebekah. I was left."

"We thought you were dead! Klaus said…" I looked at her, eyebrow raised. "I don't know about the others but Kol and I didn't abandon you. We thought you were dead and when Klaus dragged us away we fought him to go back. He daggered us before we could do anything. We would never abandon you. We love you."

Every part of me longed to hug her, to apologize for the misunderstanding and leave with her right now. But I couldn't. I couldn't let them know…

"Okay, I believe you. It doesn't change anything. I'm not coming back. I have a life here. I'm happy."

"Tell that to your face."

"Please Rebekah, just go? I… seeing you all is too painful. Please, just let me get on with reclaiming my life." I turned away. I heard the creak of the bed as she sat down and her hand rested on my leg.

"They all miss you. Kol's been a mess. Elijah and Finn have turned into recluses. When I saw them last, they weren't eating. They'd just… given up. On everything. And I can see that you're doing the same thing. Maybe not in the same way but you're not the girl you were. The girl we care about. That girl would never push away the people she loves."

"Where does Klaus fit into this equation?"

"I don't know. I've not spoken to him since that night. I refuse to." That surprised me. Rebekah had remained unflinchingly loyal throughout everything that Klaus had done to her. Yet I was the reason she turned against him?

"You shouldn't throw away a part of your life over me."

"Look who's talking. You've done nothing but throw away your life."

"I'm not throwing it away. I'm starting a new life. One that doesn't have room for your family or its baggage."

"Elena…"

"NO. I'm done. I'll tell you what I told Kol. Leave me alone. Don't call me, don't talk me. I don't want to see you, I don't want to hear from you. I just want to be left alone."

I got up and went to the door, holding it open for her. She got up but didn't move to the door.

"Don't do this. We're your family."

"No. You were my family. But you were right Rebekah, I've changed. I'm not that girl anymore. That girl died that night. Go back to mourning her and forget about me." I gestured at the door. After a moment she went out into the hallway and turned to look at me.

"We're here. When you change your mind."

I closed the door sharply. I waited until I heard Rebekah's footsteps receding down the corridor before letting out an enraged cry and dropping to the floor. I rested my head on my knees, tears forming in the corners of my eyes. I wiped them away angrily. No. New me, no more tears for them. I'd made a vow to be stronger than this and I was going to stick to it.

The temptation to hide in my room and sulk was incredibly tempting, particularly now that I knew both Kol and Rebekah were in the area. But that would be admitting that they'd gotten to me and I didn't want to do that. I decided to go out and get some air. Maybe it would clear my head.

I left the compound and set off with a purposeful stride that disguised my internal uncertainty. I wasn't sure where I was heading but my feet seemed to. They guided me away from the quarter to a plantation. It took me a minute to recognize it and when I did, I stopped abruptly. This was the house Mikael had held me. It looked different in some way that I didn't really understand. I felt a sense of foreboding, a feeling of being unwelcome, like the land itself didn't want me here and was warning me back. I hesitated for a moment before crossing the gate and walking onto the drive. I headed to the house but changed direction at the last minute and instead went into the grounds surrounding it.

I wandered into the apple orchard beside the house and came to the spot where it had happened. The trees stirred in the wind and it sounded like they were whispering secrets to me. I knelt in the ground and ran my hand over the dirt. Even now, so long after, there were traces of ash from the fire that night. A bowl lay discarded in the dirt, the interior permanently blackened. I had thought that being here would stir something in me but it didn't. I picked up the bowl, turning it over in my hand.

I felt a stab of pain in my heart and I closed my eyes, whimpering as I waited for it to pass. When I opened my eyes, the sky was dark. I frowned and got to my feet. A fire was burning in front of me and I could hear howling nearby. I followed the sound through the dark trees. Something ran past me. My eyes widened as I realized that I was looking at myself.

The other me ran, looking around desperately for something. A white stake was clutched in my hand. It began to sink in what was going on. This was the night that everything had happened. I bit my lip, unsure whether to follow my other self or head towards the sound of fighting. After a moments thought, I went towards the howling.

Mikael had Kol pinned to the floor by his throat. Wolves were biting him savagely and Elijah was trying to pull his father away. Mikael reared up suddenly, letting out a cry of pain. His hands went to his chest and he stumbled back. Everything stopped and stared. He stiffened and fell to the floor, body shaking furiously. His skin glowed and smouldered as unseen fire consumed him. The wolves dispersed quickly after a nod from Klaus.

"What happened…?" Rebekah asked hesitantly.

"I think… I think he's dead," Elijah replied. He looked around. "Where is Elena?"

"I saw her run that way… She can't have gone far," Finn said, starting after me. Klaus reached out and placed a hand on his chest, stopping him.

"No."

"What?"

"No. We need to leave."

"But…" Everyone was staring at him, confused.

"Elena is dead."

"We don't know that!" Rebekah protested.

"Mikael keeled over dead. We can't feel Elena anymore. She must have killed herself to kill him. We're leaving."

"Even if she is dead, we can't just leave her out here. We should take her home," Elijah said, his tone suggesting that he couldn't quite believe what was happening. A wind blew through the trees and I noticed that Klaus shifted uncomfortably, the gesture small enough to be missed by anyone who wasn't paying attention.

"No. We are leaving right now." He turned and started walking away. After a few paces he realized that no one was following and turned back. "Come on."

"No, Klaus we're not leaving her."

"Rebekah. Come here. Now."

"NO!" Klaus growled and darted forward, a silver dagger in his hand. I turned away so I didn't have to look. I heard the others shouting behind me but I ignored it and retraced my steps until I found where the other me had gone. She was under a tree, half propped up against the trunk. One arm hung down at her side, the stake lay discarded on the ground. Blood ran down her naked chest, pooling around her. Even though I knew I couldn't do anything, I felt myself reaching out. I pulled back at the last second and instead knelt beside her. Her eyes were half open, staring out vacantly and her lips moved silently.

A muffled growl came from the bushes and I looked over to see a wolf emerge. It came to her side and sniffed. My past self let out a soft groan, body slumping down further. Ash and some stray embers floated over from the fire and landed on her skin. Her hand twitched, her fingers lightly clawing at the ground. A few drops of rain began to fall from the sky, running down her forehead and across the curve of her nose, giving the illusion that she was crying. Her mouth continued to move and even though I couldn't hear what she said, I knew the words.

 _By water and wood, by air and earth, blood as offering, grant me rebirth._

Two more wolves joined the first. They looked at one another before gathering at her side. One gently pressed its nose into the palm of her hand. She whimpered softly and entwined her fingers in its fur. Her eyes seemed to become more focused, sliding over to look at the animal. It sat back, locking eyes with her and something akin to understanding passed between them.

The wolf let out a yelp and reared back. The other wolves gathered around and carefully gripped her legs in their mouths and began to drag her away. The rain was falling heavier now. It mixed with the blood that stained the base of the tree and soaked into the ground.

I opened my eyes. I was back in the present. Or at least, I thought it was the present. I wasn't really sure of anything these days. It was raining here too, heavier than in my vision. My clothes were already soaked through. In the distance, I heard a faint peal of thunder. I dropped the bowl and got to my feet. I shouldn't be here.

I knew I should leave. Visions weren't normal, not even for me and the prospect of another out of body experience like that one was scary. But for some reason, I couldn't find it in myself to leave yet. I headed towards the house instead. My hand faltered in the front door. There was a flash of lightning above my head and a roar of thunder. I squeaked and twisted the knob, my fear vanishing in my desire to escape the oncoming downpour. I was sort of half thinking, half hoping that it would be locked but it swung open easily. I went inside. It was eerily quiet. Everything was as we'd left it that day. I guess no one came out here. I mean, why would they?

I went up to the room that had been mine during my stay, leaving a trail of damp footprints as I walked. I grabbed a towel from the bathroom, stripped off and dried myself. I found some clean clothes and hung my damp ones up to dry. The rain was lashing at the windows and the prospect of walking back to the quarter in this weather didn't appeal. I perched on the bed, unsure of what to do with myself.

I decided to have a look in some of the other rooms. I'd looked around briefly before during my incarceration here but I'd not really been looking in any detail, I'd just been trying to find people.

I wandered into one of the bedrooms. The furniture was covered with dust sheets and there were a few stray leaves that had found their way in. I removed the sheets to examine what was beneath. A trunk at the foot of a large bed drew my attention. I tried to open it but it was locked. I frowned and set about searching for the key. It took a while but I eventually found it in a drawer in a desk in another room, a study by the looks of it. There was something warm and familiar about it, the way it was decorated maybe.

I returned to the bedroom and unlocked the trunk. It was full of papers, some loose and others bundled together. There was a small box at the bottom, black with gold clasps. I opened it and found an old violin inside, carefully wrapped in velvet. I wasn't sure why but I felt that these items were important to have. I had no idea who this house belonged to but I knew that a lot of witches used places that had power. Maybe Mikael had picked this place because it was special?

I sifted through the contents of the box. They looked very old, the papers were yellowing and curling at the edge. I gathered them up and put them in my bag. After a moment's hesitation, I took the violin as well.

I left the trunk and went over to the bookcase. The books in it were all first editions and once again I had that sense of familiarity as I ran my fingers along the spines. The bottom shelf were different. I could tell even without pulling them out that they were journals. I hesitated, unsure if I should touch them or not. I knew how personal a journal could be. I wouldn't want someone reading mine…

But then, if they were here, whoever had owned them clearly didn't want them anymore. After another moment's hesitation, I pulled one out. They were bound in brown leather with an ornate gold M on the cover. I slipped them into my bag as well, being careful not to crumple the letters. I was beginning to feel a little on edge. I felt like I was plundering the tomb of someone long dead. This was like… desecration.

The house creaked around me and I heard another roll of thunder. Once again I felt that feeling that I shouldn't be here. This time it was accompanied by a twinge in my stomach. I was slightly concerned that might lead to another strange vision thing so I decided it might be a good idea to actually listen to my gut this time and leave. I headed downstairs towards the door. The creaking grew louder and the windows rattled. I peeked out, trying to work out if the storm was moving away. It appeared to be dying down so I decided to risk it. I left my clothes behind, clutched my bag and hurried out of the house.


	9. Chapter VIII

**A/N: I wanted to say a quick thank you to a few people. Lately I've been getting rather down. Writing this was the highlight of my day and I loved seeing you guys enjoying my work. It's a great feeling. However, when I keep getting reviews and messages saying it's too dark or that I need professional help, I get angry. And then I get sad (the reason yesterday was delayed). So I want to say a quick thank you to a few reviewers who keep me going (side note, I think all my readers are great people but I can't list you all individually).**

 **JMHUW, LovelyDeadlyLie, Delenaaaa, Elena Mikaelson and Rose123579. You guys rock.**

* * *

I spent the night wracked by cravings. It was impossible to sleep when every time I closed my eyes, I saw blood, blood everywhere, running down the walls and seeping in under the bedroom door. In the end, I decided to distract myself by reading some of the papers I'd found.

I emptied the bag onto my bed and sifted through them, searching for anything that caught my eye. They were mainly letters written in the same neat handwriting although there were a few that were in a more feminine style. They were dated between 1817 and 1820 and large portions of them were written in French. I frowned and switched to the journals instead.

 _August, 1359,_

 _I have noticed a difference in my siblings. Our bond strains beneath the pressure of our life as vampires. Each day removes them further from the humanity we once possessed. My sweet sister Rebekah has grown quite indifferent to brutality._

I frowned and stared at the book. This belonged to one of the Mikaelsons? I looked at the journal and fully registered the curly M on the front cover. That explained the handwriting I supposed…

 _However, the true problem remains my brother Niklaus; he continues to hide his loneliness with cruelty. Still, I cling to the hope that I, as their eldest brother, can lead them down the correct path, a path charged with the power of a family united. For if I fail, our family's legacy will end in darkness._

Elijah. The way he wrote made it clear. I sighed softly. Even back then they'd been struggling. I put the journal down. I would have been lying if I said I didn't miss them. Elijah, Rebekah, Finn, even Kol. And maybe Klaus.

 _There are moments when I doubt that my family is capable of redemption, yet each time that I am tempted to surrender, I see it - - the glimmer of goodness that allows me to believe._

Elijah never gave up on anyone. He always believed in the innate goodness of everyone. I felt bad for what I'd said to Rebekah and Kol. I still felt like I needed to be away from them all to try and protect myself and my child but… I'd been mean. I was hurt and I knew that I'd acted cruelly.

I should make amends….

I wasn't sure if I should keep reading. I'd had my doubts before but now that I knew it was Elijah's it felt worse somehow. I'd assumed they were the journals of someone long dead but now I felt like I was invading the privacy of a trusted friend.

Then again, this baby was a Mikaelson. I needed to learn all that I could about their family. I put the journal down and searched through for the oldest one I could find. It was slow work, the journals were a mixture of strange symbols at first that I couldn't decipher. Gradually, as I flicked through the pages, Elijah began to write in English and I found myself getting absorbed in his history.

I kept reading until the sun rose. I was grateful that the night was over. I was supposed to meet Sophie in Witches Alley and I decided to head there early so as to prevent having an escort foisted on me.

There were only a few people on the streets, hosing down the pavement. All traces of the storm the day before were gone and the air was warm. I went to the Witches Alley and found myself a seat on a bench. There were a few people around and some stopped to stare. I huffed and looked down at my feet, making a point to ignore them.

After a few minutes however it got too much. I decided to go into one of the shops where I was less likely to be stared at.

I went to the only one that was open, which was the store I'd seen Thierry in during my last visit. I idly browsed the shelves, wondering if I could find something to handle either my weird stomach twinges or my cravings for blood. Unlikely but you never knew.

"Hi, can I help you?" I looked over and saw a teenage girl. I was mildly relieved it wasn't Thierry's girlfriend, just in case she put everything together.

"I was wondering if you had anything that might help with cravings?"

"What kind?"

"Pregnancy cravings. Strong ones."

"Umm, there's some herbal teas over there that are meant to help." She pointed. "Sorry I can't be more helpful. The other clerk, Katie, knows more than me, I'm only part time."

"It's alright, thank you." I headed over to where she'd gestured and browsed the shelves, examining some of the packets of herbs. The bell over the door rang as someone else came in. I glanced over, registered another teenage girl, and returned to my search. Their voices drifted over to me.

"Hey Monique,"

"Hey Davina. What time do you finish today?"

"Midday. Although Katie lets me go earlier sometimes when it's really dead and so far I've only had the one customer."

"That girl?" There was a pause and when they next spoke, their voices were hushed. "Oh my god, do you know who that is?"

"No, should I?"

"Yeah, that's the pregnant one!"

"I know she's pregnant… she's looking for herbs to stop cravings. Why does that matter?"

"No I mean she's the one who got knocked up by the vampire."

"Really? That's her?"

"Yeah. My aunt told me about her. I was expecting someone…"

"What?"

"Nothing. I wonder it's like," she giggled. "To sleep with one."

"Eww, Monique."

"Oh come on. It's got to be… different. Although I can't imagine there's much sleeping involved."

"Monique, they're dead. It's gross."

"Don't be such a prude… Do you think she's got any powers? Like vampire ones?"

"She's only a human."

"Yeah but she has vampire blood in her."

"What so she can turn into a bat?"

"No! But I mean… maybe. And maybe she drinks blood. You said she was after stuff for cravings right? Maybe she wants to drink you blood Davina." I glanced over and saw the girl, Monique, miming biting the girl behind the register, accompanied by exaggerated slurping noises. I clenched my fists, the bag of herbs crumpling under my grip.

"Monique! Stop! I feel kind of sorry for her. Everyone's treating her like a freak."

"She is a freak. Like you said, they're dead. It's just wrong."

I felt something snap inside of me. I picked up one of the herb bags and marched over to the counter.

"I'll take this," I said. The girl behind the register nodded and began to ring up my purchase. I could feel Monique staring at me. I kept my eyes fixed on my purchase. "For the record, I don't have vampire powers. You're just super loud and annoying." My voice stayed steady and calm. I took the bag Davina offered me and turned to face her friend. "However, you are right. I am fighting a very strong craving right now, to tear your head off and open up your veins with my teeth. So maybe you should consider that before you starting talking shit about people you don't know. Particularly one who's extremely hormonal."

I turned and swept out of the store.

* * *

I kept to myself for the next few hours, hidden away in a coffee shop that fortunately didn't seem to have witches on staff. When Sophie eventually arrived, I was incredibly relieved.

"Sorry I'm late. I got held up. Weird phone call from my sister about some crazy lady threatening to tear her daughter's head off. Sound familiar?" I sipped my drink.

"Depends. Is your niece a little brat?"

"Hey!"

"Sorry but I object to being called a freak. I might have crossed a line but I'm not going to apologize for it."

"She called you a freak? Okay, she didn't mention that bit. And I did think it was a bit weird that you'd yell at her without provocation." She sighed. "How are you feeling?"

"Terrible. Pregnancy sucks."

"Just wait, you're only half way through right?"

"About that, yeah."

"Well, I've been doing some research, asking a few friends and I might be able to help. The Mikaelsons were witches right? Before they were vampires?"

"I think so."

"Their mother, Esther, is legendary around here. Which is probably why Agnes has given me full permission to help you out. And why no one has tried to kill you yet."

"Hmm. That fills me with confidence."

"Come on, I've got a few tricks I can do to try and get a better idea of what you're dealing with. But, not here." She gestured for me to follow. I got up and trailed after her.

"Is this place far?"

"No, just a little walk. But it's private, which is what we need." We trudged along. "Have there been any side effects?"

"Well, I had a vision of the past where I wasn't in my own body. And I think my past self did magic. And I keep craving blood. And I have these weird stomach twinges. They really hurt."

"Okay… that's a lot. Stomach twinges, you might want to see an actual doctor about. I'm just here for the magical stuff."

"I appreciate it."

We walked out of the quarter and came to a walled cemetery. I paused and gave Sophie a 'you cannot be serious' look. She shrugged and opened the gate.

"Why are we in a cemetery?"

"The witches of this city practice a specific brand of magic, it's called Ancestral Magic. To do it we need access to the remains of ancestors."

"That's great but none of my ancestors are out here. And I highly doubt any of the Mikaelsons' are either."

"I know. But before Marcel banned all our magic use, my sister and I did a spell on it that prevents vampires from entering. Ergo, it is the safest place for you to be when we're doing this kind of stuff. Now, please come in." I reluctantly followed her inside the cemetery and to a large tomb. She went inside it and I could hear her moving things around. I peaked in.

"Is this legal?"

"It's fine. Now, lie down." I didn't move. I had too many bad experiences with witches. Putting myself in a position of vulnerability seemed very stupid. "Elena, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to try and find out what's going on in there. We might even be able to work out who's child it is."

I considered and reluctantly lay down. Sophie was sorting through a small box of stuff and I saw the handle of a knife. I immediately reared up.

"You have serious trust issues… Look, I will give you the knife if it makes you feel safer. Or would you rather open my veins with your teeth?" I scowled and lay back down. Sophie mixed some strange herbs in a bowl until they formed a paste, carefully pulled up my top to expose my stomach and rubbed it onto my skin. I wrinkled my nose. It smelt bad and my skin tingled as it came into contact. "I don't suppose you have anything belonging to the possible fathers?"

"I've got Kol's daylight ring but that's it."

"Where'd you get that?"

"I stole it off him when he wouldn't stop stalking me."

"Ah, that explains why he's not been coming into the bar until after sundown. Thanks."

"Anytime."

"Well, I can't do what I was going to do. However I can do a spell of revelations to try and divine some information about the child." She retrieved a scrap of paper from the box and scribbled on it. I caught a glimpse and saw the strange symbols from Elijah's journal. She lay it in front of her and fetched a candle from the box, lit it and knelt beside me, holding the candle over my belly. She closed her eyes, set the candle down in front of her and her mouth moved as she murmured under her breath. I lay still, uncertain of what exactly she was doing. She opened her eyes. They were completely white and unfocused. "I sense great power. Ancient blood."

I managed not to say something sarcastic about how obvious that statement was, fearing that it would disrupt whatever she was doing and I'd get no answers at all.

"Dark hair, dark eyes… a dark soul…"

I whimpered. Was my child going to be evil? She reached out and took my hand. The knife was suddenly in her other hand and I made to move but found that I couldn't. She pricked my finger and let the drops fall onto the paper in front of her. She released me, blind eyes turning down to examine her handiwork.

"Multiple souls are entwined, blood mixed with blood. Their spirits hold you Elena, they work through you to seek out what they want and what they need. Do not fight them, they will show you the way."

"They…?"

She blinked. The candle went out and her eyes returned to normal.

"What did I say?"

"You said… they…"

"Oh." She looked down at the blood on the paper. I sat up awkwardly, trying to see. There was a stick figure drawn at the top with a word written in symbols beneath. Most of my blood had gathered around that image. "Okay, so that's you." The blood had run down the page and diverted into two paths. The first path ended in a simple dot of blood while the other had formed a strange symbol, a three pointed shape of overlapping lines encased in a circle.

"What does that mean?"

"Well I'm not entirely sure about the triquetra… that's normally used in linking spells. But the two branches would indicate that you're having twins."

"Twins?"

"Congrats?"

* * *

 **A/N: I missed sarcastic Elena. Time for her to remerge I believe. Also, taking suggestions for baby names.**


	10. Chapter IX

"Right, okay so… twins. That's… that's amazing." I was starting to hyperventilate. I'd been struggling with the thought of screwing up one person's life, now I had to deal with the prospect of ruining two? I was rocking back and forth on my seat, staring at the paper.

"Elena?" Sophie asked softly, clearly concerned by my state.

"I can't breathe…" It felt like I had a knot in my throat. I could feel the air going in but it was like it got stuck before it reached my lungs.

"Lay down, ground yourself." Sophie carefully laid me on my side and rubbed my back. "Take your time."

I focused on trying to slow my breathing and stopping the panic that was threatening to consume me.

"I can't do this."

"Elena, don't say that. You'll be a great mom. I know it seems scary, especially with all the weirdness that's involved but I'm sure all new moms get scared. When my sister got pregnant, she was terrified. But she loves her daughter and she loves getting that opportunity." She stroked my hair gently, trying to calm me. "You can't panic. Not yet. When they turn into teenagers, then you can."

I let out a nervous laugh. I wasn't sure I was going to make it through the pregnancy let alone the eighteen years that would follow!

"There's… more that I learnt if you want to hear it… I don't want to overwhelm you though."

"Go ahead, I'm already gone."

"Okay, so it seems that the infants have some control over your actions. For example, the blood cravings."

"Figured that much. I don't tend to go around licking blood off kitchen floors of my own accord."

"Yes well, I think those twinges you told me about are also caused by them. And I mean on purpose, not because something's wrong with them. Do you remember when they happened?"

"ummm… first one was at the place they used to live… I had one when I fought with Kol…"

"That's what I thought. Witches can sense one another. It's something to do with our shared blood. So when those twinges happen, it's probably the children sensing what they want… which is their family."

"Does this mean I have to make up with them?"

"No. But just be prepared for them to voice their opinion."

"Okay so they can pilot my body to get blood and they can used it to tell me off for not being nice to their father or uncle."

"Pretty much. However there is a perk. Obviously you get some of the vampire qualities, turns out you can also access the witch side."

"I can do magic?"

"Yeah. Well, kind of. First borns of witch bloodlines have immense power. And Esther's bloodline was pretty strong to begin with. Twins are also amazing powerful. In fact, there's a coven in Oregon who only use a twin as their leader. They do this crazy ceremony… I'm getting off topic."

"Right… what does this mean?" I was getting more nervous the more she spoke.

"It means that you basically have a nuclear bomb of untapped magical energy inside your womb."

"That… doesn't sound like a good thing."

"You've never used magic before and you now have access to all this power. So I know it sounds quite scary, but you do need to use it. The temptation might be to hide from it but magic is like a living thing. It wants to be used. Don't try anything too fancy, just a few simple things now and then. Although, not in the French quarter."

"Okay… Is there any other side effects that might happen?"

"Not that I can detect. I don't think you're likely to turn into a wolf anytime soon, if that's what you're concerned about."

"So there's wolf blood in there…?"

"No, I just meant… it was a joke. I wasn't able to determine the parentage so I have no idea if there's wolf blood in the mix."

"Well if I feel the need to howl at the moon, I'll let you know." I sat up, feeling somewhat calmer but still very nervous. "Any idea where I should start with the magic stuff?"

"Avoid hexes or any magic that involves blood and sacrifice. Try locator spells, lighting candles, things like that. Obviously don't get too attached to the power since it's going to disappear when you give birth."

"Okay…" I got to my feet. "Thank you for your help Sophie." I turned to leave, but hesitated. "Are you going to tell the other witches?"

"That there's two rather than one…? I kind of have to…. They're my coven."

"Please, just not yet? Give me a few days to get used to it before I have to put up with a city full of witches circulating even more rumours about me?"

"I can do that."

"Thanks."

We left the cemetery and went our separate ways. It was like I was half asleep, unaware of where I was going or what was I doing. Twins… how could I do this? One baby was hard enough but two? I was practically a kid myself, how could I take care of two small breakable people?

I reached the compound and drifted towards the stairs. I heard someone call my name and I stopped, looking back.

"Are you alright Elena?" Marcel asked.

"Yes… I'm fine…"

"Good. You've seemed a little… off."

"I've just had a lot on my mind. Umm… have you thought about the witch situation? Letting them practice on occasion?"

"I'm still considering it. But speaking of them, I was informed of a spike of magical activity in Lafayette Cemetery not too long ago."

"The cemetery? Oh, yes, I was there actually. It was just a few of the kids messing around. I'll remind the elders of the rules, I'm sorry I didn't intervene at the time."

"It's alright. You're only human after all. Next time you plan to go to one of the witch areas, take someone with you."

"It was a bit of an unscheduled trip. In future I will." I scampered off up the stairs, into my room and locked the door. I sat on my bed and my hand went into my pocket, finding Kol's ring. I turned it over in my hand. I felt one of my stomach twinges, not as painful as before, just a light nudge really. I looked down at my stomach.

"Okay, I get the message." I strip of cloth, threaded it through the loop of the ring and went to the balcony. I tied the ring to the fence around the balcony, making sure that the knot was secure so that it wouldn't fall off. I just hoped Kol would see it and understand what I was doing.

I locked my door securely. I was apologizing, but that didn't mean I was ready to talk.

* * *

I spent the next several days keeping busy. I read through all of Elijah's journals and letters, made numerous trips (albeit very brief trips) to the plantation house in search of more information. I tried to avoid most of the witches, although I saw Sophie fairly regularly at Rousseau's since it was neutral ground. The city had been getting ready for Mardi Gras and it was nice to spend my free time wandering the streets, looking at the preparation.

I'd seen no sign of Kol or Rebekah in the time, but the ring had disappeared from my balcony so I knew they were around. I did feel a little better now that I knew Kol wasn't going to burst into flames.

I'd had no new side effects from the pregnancy which was a relief. Despite what Sophie had said, I was still slightly concerned that I might start howling at the moon or turn into a wolf. I didn't want to do that, it looked very painful. The cravings hadn't subsided, in fact they'd been steadily growing, although I'd been ignoring them as best I could. I'd continued to tie myself to the bed at night so that my children couldn't send me off hunting for blood bags while I was asleep. Marcel had made no mention of the dead vampire. I didn't know if he'd caught the culprit or if he'd given up. I hoped he'd given up. Either way, things seemed more positive. Not everything had improved but I was learning to handle things.

On the day Mardi Gras started, the compound was a buzz of excitement. Marcel had placed a temporary lift on his magic ban until the end of the festival and I was up early to visit the witches and inform them. All of the vampires seemed excited. By this point I'd gotten to know a few of them and that morning they'd all made me promise that I would join in the festivities in the evening, since they knew that I was more than likely to hide away given the opportunity. I agreed to show my face, even if it was only a brief time.

I headed out, let Agnes know and was on my way back when something occurred to me. Given that magic was currently allowed and I had, as Sophie called it, a nuclear bomb of magic inside me, I figured it might be a good idea to have a little practice. I'd found a few spells jotted down on a scrap of paper in the plantation house. They were a bit advanced for me but they gave me a sense of what I needed to do. I went back to the compound and gathered what I could. It wasn't hard to find a few candle and some other odds and ends.

I sat down on the floor and cleared some space. I placed a candle in front of my and concentrated. I wasn't sure how the best way to do this was. I wished I'd asked Bonnie more about her magic. Well, hindsight is twenty twenty. I concentrated as hard as I could, straining until I thought my eyes would pop out. Nothing happened.

I sighed and decided to try a different tact. I closed my eyes and relaxed. I imagined a warmth filling me. There was a hiss and then the smell of burning. I peeked out and almost laughed in delight at the sight of the candle flame dancing in front of me. I blew it out and tried again, this time keeping my eyes open. It took a moment before the wick caught and lit up. I grinned and lined up the other candles in a row. I raised my hand and slowly waved it over the candles. Nothing. I took a deep breath, refusing to get frustrated. I repeated the action, concentrating on the warm feeling and the image of fire in my mind. One by one they flared into life. I let out a hoot of delight. Yes! I could magic, this was awesome!

I spent the rest of the day trying various spells. I didn't attempt anything too difficult, just things I thought might come in handy. I'd discovered a fairly simple privacy spell which I thought was useful, but I wasn't entirely sure if it was working. I tested it out by playing music and leaving the room to see if I could hear it. I couldn't, so I figured it was working. I just hoped it actually worked when I tried to do it properly. By the time night fell, I felt exhausted. I decided to take a break and head down to the street where I could hear sounds of celebration.

I left the compound and let myself mingle with the excited crowd. I found a spot and leant against a wall, preferring to watch rather than participate. I felt a slight growling in my stomach and I frowned, trying to ignore it. Not now, please. It was only brief and it faded almost as soon as it had started so I decided not to worry about it. The music was loud and I caught sight of Thierry playing his trumpet at one point. I wandered down the street, exploring the festivities.

I wasn't sure how but I found myself away from the main street and in a smaller street, away from the action. The growling in my stomach was back and I felt my mouth watering as the cravings started up. I gritted my teeth. A stab of pain in my stomach, a hungry twist of my guts, had me doubled over and I slipped off the pavement, crashing to the floor.

"Ow." My ankle hurt. I rubbed it lightly, frowning.

"Hey, you okay?" I looked up and saw a guy stumbling down the road towards me.

"Yeah, I twisted my ankle."

The man came over and stopped, squinting in the darkness at me. I felt a sharp dagger of pain in my stomach.

"You sure?"

"I'm fine." I managed to get to my feet, half leaning on the wall for support. The man stepped closer. He was so close that I could smell him. Beer, sweat and the deep scent of the blood that was running through his veins.

I couldn't resist.

I moved faster than I knew was possible, seizing the man. I shoved him against the wall, imbued with an unnatural strength. My blunt teeth found their way to his throat and I bit down hard until I felt the skin give and blood flooded my mouth. I suppressed a moan. This was it, this was what I needed, what I'd been craving all those nights. This was better than bagged blood or a few drops of blood from a scraped knee. This was warm, fresh, filled with vitality that flowed down my throat and brought me alive. I drank deep, pressing the man harder against the wall. It was fantastic. Every drop that I swallowed was like a revelation. I felt like our souls were merging, as if I was consuming his very essence.

I pulled back, gasping like a swimmer starved of air. I felt drunk, dizzy with delight. The man's head was slumped, eyes half closed. I stroked his cheek.

"Thank you…"

I released him and he slipped to the floor. I looked at him, dazed from the blood. Part of my mind registered that I should do something, that I shouldn't leave him like that but I wasn't really aware. I knew I should feel horrified at what I had done and I was sure I would in the morning but for now, it just felt right. I had needed this. For the first time in weeks, I felt good. Warm, happy, completely full, no longer craving more or different.

I knelt down and murmured in his ear.

"Forget me…"

He turned his head slightly, looking me in the eye. I gripped his chin lightly, maintaining the eye contact.

"You will forget me."

"I will forget you…"

"Good." I smiled, got to my feet and headed back to the crowded streets.


	11. Chapter X

**A/N: No more night writing. I get far too emotional.**

* * *

The next morning, I woke up and lay in my bed. I expected to feel disgusted with myself. I expected to have to rush to the toilet and throw up. But I felt nothing.

What was happening to me?

I wrapped the blankets around myself and burrowed underneath, deciding to stay in bed for the day. I could still hear the festival going on outside but I was in no mood to partake. I felt wrong. I wasn't acting like myself and that bothered me. The blankets felt restrictive and I tossed around before kicking them off the bed entirely.

I sighed and got my journal out of the drawer that I kept it in and flicked it open to a clean page. I picked up my pen and set about writing, letting every emotion I felt flow through me onto the paper. As I got more and more worked up, my writing got messier and my pen tore through the paper in places. I let out a frustrated cry and hurled it across the room. I got out of bed and went onto the balcony. I sat on the ground, curling my legs around me. I felt like I was losing control of myself and I hated it.

I idly moved my hand around and watched absently as a leaf lifted off the balcony and hovered in front of me. I sighed. Things changed. I just had to accept that. I wished that I could just hold onto things for a little bit longer.

I closed my eyes, resting against the wall. My hands lightly caressed the curve of my stomach. I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep this up. I needed to think about the future eventually. I didn't just mean taking care of the children, I meant the moment when vampires started to find out about my pregnancy. I knew that things would never be the same when that happened. I could leave New Orleans but that would only stall things. Maybe it was better to bite the bullet and just admit to Marcel what was going on. He was reasonable and I knew that he was likely to treat me more fairly if I told him rather than waited for him to find out another way.

I stayed sitting on the balcony, watching the street absently. It grew darker and a slight chill nipped at my skin. I took my phone from my pocket and flicked through the pictures. Pictures of me with my friends, my family greeted me. They didn't provide me with the rush of warmth I usually felt when I looked at them.

I went to the most recent pictures. I frowned as I came to one that I'd forgotten I'd taken. A picture of me and Rebekah, Kol crammed in behind us. I flicked to the next one. Elijah, his arm wrapped around me. Finn, cracking a rare smile. I felt tears in my eyes.

I wanted them back.

I got up and went back to my bed. I put the phone beside me so I could see the picture, pulled one of the pillows close and wrapped my arms around it, hugging it tight. I missed them. It was like losing my parents all over again. I needed my family back. Fuck being strong, it wasn't worth this… this… emptiness. I missed them all so much and I just wanted one of them here to hold onto and make everything seem alright. I let myself cry, no longer fighting it, face buried in my pillow.

It took me a while but eventually I drifted off into a restless sleep, tears still staining my cheeks.

* * *

I woke up sharply. It was still dark outside, my room was pitch black. I wasn't sure what had woken me but I had a peculiar feeling of being watched. I reached out in the darkness and switched on my bedside lamp. Kol was stood at the end of the bed, watching me, my journal in one hand and a scrap of paper in the other.

"Kol… What are you doing here?"

"I've been… watching you Elena. You've not been yourself."

"H…how much have you seen?"

"I've seen a lot. I saw you go to the house where you died. I saw you read Elijah's journals. And I saw you tear open a man's neck with your teeth." I looked away. "I didn't get it at first. I thought maybe you had turned I didn't realize. For a short time I thought you might be another doppelganger, but that didn't make any sense. So I decided to come here and work out what was going on. And… I think I finally get why now." He held up the scrap of paper and I realized what it was. It was my scan photo, the one I'd left in the back of the journal. "Is this yours?"

I didn't know what to do. I was caught. I bit my lip, trying to formulate a lie so that I could keep my secret for a little longer but nothing came to me. I had to admit it.

"Yes." It felt kind of good to say it aloud.

"Congratulations. Who's the lucky guy?" His voice was cold and filled with disdain. I bit my lip harder, causing it to bleed.

"It's complicated…" I squeaked out. I was trying to work up the nerve to say the most important bit.

"You know, you didn't have to be such a bitch to me. I get being upset about what happened that night but it wasn't our fault. And if you had another guy, you could have just said."

"No… Kol… no. That's not what's going on here. Please, sit down?" I gestured to the space on the bed beside me. He didn't move, turning his head away as if looking at me disgusted him. I got to my feet and closed the space between us. "There is no other guy. This child is… its one of you."

"What…?" I took his hand and placed it on my stomach.

"I'm pregnant and the father is a Mikaelson." I looked up at him, praying he'd meet my eye. He looked down at me and I saw something akin to hope in his eyes.

"Which one of us…?"

"I'm not sure. It's not Finn, I know that." I'd worked out based on how far along I was that Finn wasn't a candidate. Didn't help me tell which of the other three were responsible though.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was trying to protect myself. And my children."

"Children?"

"It's twins. I only found out recently." Kol took a step, seemingly in shock, and sank onto the bed. I hesitated for a moment before sitting beside him. "I haven't told anyone. I was scared what would happen. The witches know, but that was an accident."

"This is a lot to take in…"

"You're telling me. I woke up from a coma with a pregnant belly and no idea how it happened." He stared at the floor, processing what I'd told him. I stayed silent, knowing that it was a difficult thing to come to terms with.

"You've been dealing with this all on your own…"

"It was my choice. I thought it was the best way."

"That's why you came here isn't it...? You were trying to protect them..."

"I thought I wasn't strong enough on my own"

"I should have been here for you..."

"No... Kol… None of this is your fault"

"I never wanted to leave you Elena... I would never..."

"I know. Klaus made you." He looked away, ashamed, shaking his head.

"I should have fought harder. I should have done something" It broke my heart to see him that way. I reached out and pulled his face to mine.

"I don't care about the past, I just want to think about the future. Don't leave me again... I don't want to be alone anymore."

"Never."

We ended up lying on the bed together, curled around one another. I had my head rested on his chest while he played with my hair and his other hand gently ran his fingers over my bump. I couldn't keep my hands still either. It was like i was retracing him, remembering all the lines of his body as i skimmed my fingers over his skin.

"I don't care if I'm not the father. This feels right and I want to be there for you. All three of you."

"That makes me so happy." I buried my face in his t-shirt. "I missed you."

"I missed you too… you know we could have done this a lot sooner if you weren't so stubborn."

"Shh… no blaming. Tonight is just about feeling good."

He kissed my forehead and we lay there, not talking, just being. I felt incredibly safe in his arms. Things felt right again.

"Do you know if they're boys or girls?"

"No. The doctor asked if I wanted to know, but I said no."

"I can't wait to meet them." I giggled.

"What are you hoping for?"

"I quite like the idea of a little girl. Someone I can get up to mischief."

"You will not corrupt my future daughter!" I told him, smacking his chest playfully. He laughed.

"I'll just have to make do with corrupting you then I guess."

Suddenly he was on top of me and he guided my lips to his. We shared a soft kiss, a tender reminder of what we'd had before. I pushed his chest gently and he pulled back.

"Too much?"

"Little bit… let's go slow. Is that alright?"

"We've got the rest of eternity, so we can go as slow as you like."

"Rest of eternity? I'm still human Kol."

"I thought you were dead for months. I'm not letting you go ever again." I didn't reply. I simply returned my head to his chest, assuming our previous position. Kol wrapped his arms around me, holding me close. I half lifted my head as something occurred to me.

"You won't tell anyone will you, Kol?"

"If you don't want me to, I won't."

"Thank you. I'm just not ready for the world to know yet."

"Sorry for busting your secret."

"Don't worry." I kissed his cheek and closed my eyes.

I fell asleep in Kol's arms. I had no bad dreams, no disturbances and I slept far later than normal. When I woke up the next morning, I half expected Kol to have disappeared but he was still beside me, sleeping deeply. I watched him quietly. I'd thought I needed one or the other. Taking care of my children or letting myself care for the siblings. But it looked like I could have both. I smiled, snuggled down and waited for him to wake.

* * *

 **A/N: Okay Elena, you're boring me. Time to give the people what they really want, more originals!**

 **This is shorter than the other chapters I've been posting (I've been aiming for 2000 – 2500 words since A family affair I tried to do 5000 words a chapter and that's one of the reasons why it took so long to write). However I didn't want to put too much in and distract from Elena getting all cuddly with Kol.**


	12. Chapter XI

**A/N: there is a poll on my profile to vote for the gender of Elena's babies.**

* * *

I spent as much of the next week with Kol as possible. It was difficult, because he insisted that Marcel not know about his presence. He said it was because they didn't have a good relationship and he was worried that he'd kick me out of the compound. I knew Kol wanted me to leave but he was respecting my decision to stay which I appreciated. Still, it brought about challenges. We couldn't see each other in public in case one of Marcel's inner circle spotted us. Instead, I would leave my balcony door unlocked and wait up until he found an opportunity to sneak in. We'd spend some time together and then fall asleep together. He'd wake me each morning to say goodbye before he had to sneak out.

I wasn't sure if Rebekah knew where he was going or even if she was still in town. I hoped she was, I had resolved to make amends with her too. I just had to work up to it.

I was curled up in bed with Kol one morning. It was early and he'd not yet left. We'd both woken earlier than normal and I was half asleep still so I was content to doze off again but Kol decided to make the most of the extra time.

"How about Gideon? For a boy."

"I am not calling my potential son, Gideon." I wriggled around so I was facing him. He frowned.

"Why not? Gideon Mikaelson. Doesn't sound bad to me"

"Except he won't be Gideon Mikaelson. He'll be Gideon Gilbert. Which sounds like a bad cartoon character."

"Gilbert? No. Not happening"

"Hey, these kids are going to have enough problems fitting in without having to deal with the stigma of your family"

"Elena, I am offended. Name on bad thing my family has done"

"You kidnapped me"

"Besides that."

"You brainwashed me."

"Besides that."

"Your brother is a psychopath who routinely massacres people"

"Besides that."

"Kol, I can go on for months. Quit while you're ahead and I'll consider using Mikaelson. Hyphenated"

"Elena, you are so mean to me." I poked him and kissed him lightly.

"You love it. And I'm only trying to protect my children. They're going to be the first and probably ones of their species. I'm not going to direct more attention to them."

Kol propped himself up on his elbow, watching me.

"Only, huh? So no plans to make more hybrid babies in the future…?"

"Call me old fashioned but I don't want a relationship where I need to get stabbed in order to produce babies."

"Never going to happen then?" I considered for a moment.

"Maybe. If I meet a very nice vampire who is everything I've ever dreamed of, I might consent to him putting his knife in me."

"Oh Elena you devil." He tickled me and I squirmed helplessly, giggling. Suddenly he stopped abruptly, sitting upright. I frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"Someone's coming this way."

"Shit." I bolted upright. "What do we do?"

"I don't know!"

"Can you get out the window?" He darted over to check.

"No, Marcel's people are outside."

"Fuck… hide in the bathroom?" He gave me a look of disbelief. "What? You were the one who insisted you not be seen!" He scowled and disappeared into the bathroom a second before there was a loud knock at the door.

"Who is it?" I called out, searching for something to cover my bump.

"It's Marcel. I'm sorry to disturb you so early but you've got a very insistent visitor!"

"I'll be right there! I'm just getting dressed!" I pulled on a baggy nightie and went to the door. I did a quick check to make sure there was no sign of Kol before opening it.

"Again, I'm sorry Elena," said Marcel. He looked slightly annoyed. "She wouldn't leave."

He stepped aside and I saw Rebekah standing there. She looked pissed.

"Hi… Rebekah…"

"Get dressed, you're coming with me."

"What… why?"

"Because I am done waiting for you to come to your senses. You have five minutes to get changed before I drag you out as you are." I gave Marcel a look. He shrugged.

"Fine. Just let me get changed." I closed the door and went to the bathroom. Kol was perched on the edge of the bath, looking stressed. "It's your sister."

"What's she doing here?"

"I have no idea. I have to go with her though. You'll be okay?"

"Yeah. I'll wait till things die down and I'll sneak out. See you tonight?"

"You bet." I gave him a quick kiss, returned to the bedroom and got dressed. Rebekah was banging quite loudly on the door. "I'm coming!" I gave myself a once over to make sure my bulge was sufficiently disguised and opened the door.

"Come on!" She swept down the corridor. I looked at Marcel, hoping he'd give me a reason not to go.

"Sorry Elena." I sighed and followed Rebekah out of the compound, onto the street. I had to jog to catch up with her.

"Where are we going?"

"To see my brothers." She said stiffly. No we're not, I thought. One of them is in my bathroom and we're going the wrong way. "It's time for you to make them see sense."

"So... they're in town?" How long had they been here? I'd not seen any sign of any of the siblings except Kol and Rebekah. Surely Kol would have told me if his brothers were around.

"Yes. They never left."

"All of them?" If Klaus was in town I was confident I'd have seen him. He hardly knew how to keep a low profile, despite what Elijah had said about him being a recluse.

"No. Just Elijah and Finn." I suppressed a sigh of relief.

"Why haven't I seen them?"

"Because they haven't left their rooms since the incident. That's the point. I didn't realize they'd gotten this bad, I just thought they were grieving. But by this point it's gone past grieving and into giving up. Finn doesn't move and I can't even get into Elijah's room. So I need you to go and show them that you're alive and make them start eating and drinking again."

"What about Kol?" I asked hesitantly, trying to ascertain how much she knew about me and him, as well as why Kol hadn't told me about his brothers' condition.

"I only see him occasionally and he not been back to the house so he doesn't know how bad they are."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? I would have helped."

"Really?"

"Yes!" I'd been upset but I wasn't a monster. I wouldn't leave them to die just because my feelings had been hurt. Rebekah made a noise of disbelief and turned down the road that led to their old home. I frowned. They'd been in there the whole time? I realized now that when I'd felt my stomach twinge at the sight of the locked gates, it must have been the babies sensing Elijah and Finn hidden away inside.

Rebekah produced a key and unlocked the gate. I followed her inside. The whole place felt cold and dead. Moss had sprouted between the courtyard paving slabs and the water feature at one end had dried to a steady drip.

"Where are they?" I asked.

"Upstairs. They're… not in a good condition." I nodded and went up the stairs without hesitation. I checked the rooms and eventually found one that showed signs of life. I left myself in. Finn was lying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. His body was grey and stiff. He hadn't quite begun to desiccate but I could see that he was on the verge. I sat on the edge of the bed.

"Finn… Finn, can you hear me?" His eyes flickered over to me and I saw a brief flash of recognition. I took that as an encouraging sign. "Finn, please… its Elena. I'm alive… come back to me."

His hand twitched. I found a letter opener on a nearby table and cut my hand, letting the liquid drip into his mouth. He turned his head slightly, as if reluctant to consume it, but as more splashed around his mouth, I saw him come back to life. He groaned softly. I placed my hand more firmly in his mouth, letting him suck directly from the source. As he grew stronger, his hand rose unconsciously and gripped my arm to hold it in place. I smiled.

"Finn…?" He released my arm and looked up at me.

"El…El…Elena…"

"Yes… Yes, Finn it's me!" I hugged him gently before turning my head towards the door. "Rebekah! He's up!"

Rebekah sped in. She threw herself at Finn, wrapping her arms around him.

"Don't you ever do that again you asshole!" He let out a weak laugh.

"Sorry Rebekah…"

I wiped my hand and got up. I felt like I was intruding on something private between the two of them.

"Are you okay here while I try and get Elijah moving?" Rebekah nodded. She opened up a blood bag and helped Finn drink. I headed down the hall until I found Elijah's room. Even though I knew he wouldn't answer, I still knocked. Silence. I tried the door. It was unlocked but there was something heavy blocking it. I shoved hard against the door until there was a muffled crash from the other side and the door finally gave a little. It wasn't enough to open it entirely but there was now enough space to squeeze through into the room. I wiggled through the gap.

This room was far worse than Finn's. Finn's showed signs of someone who'd just gone to bed and decided not to get up again. Elijah's was different. Things had been destroyed. Furniture was broken and laid out on the ground. A bookcase, now knocked over, lay in front of the door which I guessed had been blocking it. Several of his suits were torn to shreds, the white shirts almost luminous in the dark. The curtains were shut tight, making it impossible to see clearly. I had to feel my way around. There was a horrific smell in the air that made me gag whenever I breathed in.

"Elijah…?" There was no sign of him in the room. I bit my lip and took a hesitant step. The floorboard creaked.

"Elijah…"

My fingers brushed over the furniture as I tried to guide myself through the wreckage. I felt something damp and sticky to the touch and I recoiled in horror. I heard a faint growling and I turned. I expected to see him lying on the ground, desiccated like his brother. I spotted an arm lying on the ground, protruding from under the overturned desk. I approached hesitantly but as I grew near, I saw that it wasn't a man's hand, it was a woman. The skin was deathly pale and the fingers were stained with blood, the nails broken as if the owner had fought back.

I backed away and my eyes scanned the room. I saw it with fresh eyes. Beneath the wreckage were bodies, barely visible, rotting corpses. A few were fresh, barely decayed at all. I didn't want to look at them but I saw at a glance that they were all women, brunettes, with their throats torn open. I felt bile rise up in my throat and I vomited into a nearby bin. My heart was racing. I started back towards the door.

"R…R…Re…" I couldn't get the word out. A hand grabbed hold of me suddenly and pulled me to the floor. I looked back and saw a dark figure, crouched behind me. Their hand was on my ankle and as I watched they gripped tight, fingernails digging into my skin, and pulled me back. I cried out and dug my fingers into the floor. Now I was down here I could see scratches on the wooden boards where some other hopeless girl had fought to survive.

I kicked out, my foot colliding with his face. I staggered to my feet and ran for the door. Something pushed me against the wall hard. I let out a cry of pain as my body connected with the brick and registered Elijah's face, inches from my own. His arms were either side of me, caging me in and his body was pressed against mine, holding me in place. His eyes were dark, fangs out and it terrified me in a way I didn't understand. He was always so controlled, seeing him like this…

He stared at me without seeing me. I saw the hunger in his eyes.

"Why do you do this…? Why do you torment me with this?" he growled. I stiffened.

"E…Elijah it's me… It's Elena…" My voice was rasping whisper as my hand searched around me for anything I could use to fend him off.

"She's gone… they're all gone… Tatia… Katerina… Elena… I lost them all…"

"Elijah you didn't lose me I'm here! Hear my voice!" He stroked my cheek. The gesture was almost tender and I hoped that maybe he was coming back to me.

"It's all lies… I have to make them stop… I have to make them go away…" His voice was sad. I bit my lip. He reared his head back, and sank his fangs into my throat. I screamed.

* * *

 **A/N: Would this be a really bad time to not update for three months?**


	13. Chapter XII

Fangs sank through my skin and I felt blood spill down my shoulder. I struggled, still in disbelief at what was happening. This was Elijah! He would never hurt me!

I felt myself getting lightheaded as the blood was drained from me.

"EL…Elijah…. Stop…" I tried to find something resembling the man I knew inside his hungry eyes. Nothing.

A burning sensation ripped through my body and suddenly Elijah was catapulted across the room. I looked around for my rescuer but saw nobody. Had I done that?

"Elena?" Rebekah banged at the door.

"Rebekah! Could use some help!" She slipped through the gap in the door and came into the room. She took in the scene, her nose wrinkling at the smell.

"What… what the hell?" She stared at the bodies. I turned on her sharply.

"I thought you said they weren't eating?"

"I thought he wasn't!"

"Well I'm surprised there are any brunettes left in town after him!" I pinched the bridge of my nose, breathing shallowly so I wouldn't throw up. We went over to the corner where Elijah was sprawled. I knelt beside him.

"What did you do to him?" Rebekah asked.

"I'm not sure…" It wasn't really a lie. I knew it was magic I just didn't know what kind. "I guess we should restrain him before he wakes up? And then you need to get rid of the bodies. Because I'm not touching them." Rebekah grimaced.

"Fine. There should be some manacles around here somewhere. You secure him, I'll deal with the bodies."

I headed out of the room and looked around. I eventually found some chains and manacles tucked away. I didn't want to know what they were for. I returned to Elijah's room where Rebekah was busy dragging bodies out to the courtyard. We carried him downstairs and I carefully fastened the manacles around Elijah's wrists, attaching them to hooks built into the wall.

I sat nearby, waiting for him to come round as Rebekah continued to dispose of the bodies, looking more and more disturbed each time I saw her. Eventually, Elijah's eyelids flickered and he groaned.

"E…Elijah?" I got to my feet and approached hesitantly.

His eyes opened slowly. They registered me standing there and he lunged forward, snarling. I shrieked and jumped back, praying that his restraints would hold.

"Elijah, stop this! It's me!" I told him. "I'm not a hallucination, I'm Elena!"

He didn't respond. I let out a huff and sat down again. Rebekah came and stood beside me.

"How's Finn doing?"

"He's okay. Still weak but he should be back on his feet by tomorrow. I wish I could say the same for him." She nodded at Elijah.

"What's wrong with him?"

"He just needs time to dry out."

"Dry out? He's not an alcoholic."

"No, but blood is intoxicating stuff. He's been rampaging, he needs time for it all to leave his system so he can think straight."

"I don't want to leave him like this…"

"You can stay but I don't think it'll do any good." She produced a book of matches from her pocket and lit one, tossing it onto the pile of bodies. I grimaced and moved closer to Elijah. I reached out and gently touched his cheek. He snapped at me, trying to bite my wrist.

"I'll be back Elijah. I've got a lot to tell you."

I left reluctantly and returned to the compound, feeling exhausted. My shirt was stained with dried blood and when I entered, the assembled vampires looked up, some of their faces slipping to reveal their fangs. I went over to Marcel.

"Umm… you know the vampire who was killed…?"

"Yes…?"

"Was it a girl? With dark hair?"

"Yes. Why…?"

"I think Elijah did it." I turned and headed upstairs, wanting nothing more than to curl up in bed. I made it to the hallway before Marcel appeared at my side. I groaned and leant against the wall. I was still a little lightheaded from the blood loss. Marcel blocked my way and folded his arms.

"Explain."

"Rebekah wanted me to help get her brothers back to normal. Finn and Elijah. I went there and it turns out Elijah has been rampaging around massacring brunette girls." He reached out to touch the wound on my neck. I flinched automatically.

"He did that?"

"Yes. He's been secured. I just thought he might be responsible for it."

"Alright… thank you for telling me. Do you want me to heal you?" I shook my head.

"No, I'll be fine. I'm just going to go and rest up." I went upstairs and opened the balcony door, hoping that Kol would come by a little early. I ran myself a bath, emptied my pockets and climbed in fully clothed, sinking deep. The hot water stung the bite. I watched as it changed colour, tinged with red. I felt a sudden urge for company. I picked up my phone and rang Kol.

"Hello Darling."

"Hey. What are you up to?"

"I'm just lurking, waiting for the sun to go down."

"You might want to check in on Rebekah. Elijah's gone a bit…"

"A bit what…?"

"Kind of ripper-ish? I think he's been taking out his inner demons on any girl who his brain convinces him is me."

"Shit, are you okay?"

"He took a chunk out my neck. But I blasted him across the room."

"That's my girl." I smiled to myself. It was nice to have someone who I could share all of this with. Sophie was okay but she was an outsider. Kol was in the middle of all this, he had to deal with it just like me. It was good to have someone who was going through the same things that I could talk about my feelings with and freak out to when weird things happened.

"But I've been thinking, I want to tell them soon."

"Are you sure?"

"I feel bad. I mean, you know and there's just as much chance of it being Elijah's."

"Thanks for reminding me."

"Sorry. But when Elijah's back to normal I'm going to tell them all."

"Okay, if that's what you want to do. I'll see you tonight?"

"Yeah. Love you K,"

"Love you too darling." I hung up and sank down in the water until I was completely submerged.

* * *

I spent the next two days at the Mikaelson house, sitting with Elijah. He didn't seem to be improving. Rebekah said that when I wasn't around he was perfectly quiet, only snapping if someone got too near to him, but when I came in the room he went into a frenzy, pulling at his chains until I feared that he'd tear them from the wall. Eventually he'd tired himself and fall quiet, starting up again if I moved. I tried reading to him, hoping that my voice might bring him back to reality. It didn't seem to do anything.

When I left that evening, I noticed the full moon sitting low in the sky. I considered for a minute before making up my mind. I headed out of the quarter, making a brief stop on the way, before going out to the bayou. I wasn't sure why I was going there, it just felt right. I hesitated as I moved through the trees. I knew that I was probably safer out here that night than any other, given the condition that the werewolves had to live under.

As I got nearer to the cabin where I'd spent my recovery, I heard the sound of voices. Laughter, music. I saw the light of the fire and hesitated at the edge of the circle it cast, worried about intruding. I spotted Eve sitting nearby and, as if she sensed my presence, she looked over.

"Elena!" She came over. "You came back!"

"Hi. Looks like quite a party?"

"Well it's nice to see everyone again. What can we do for you tonight?"

"I was hoping I could talk to the wolves who found me… when I was hurt?"

"Oh yeah, sure. Jackson! You have a visitor!"

A tall man with messy dark hair came over. He paused as he neared, eyes running over me.

"Hi."

"Hello."

"I'm Elena."

"I know."

"I wanted to thank you. You and your friends for rescuing me."

"It's alright. I just wish you'd stuck around a bit longer."

"I was kind of freaking out."

"Understandable."

"But I brought a pie. As a thank you. It's not much but they don't make 'thank you for saving my life' cards." I held out the pie that I'd brought.

"Thanks." He took it. "I assume you didn't come out all this way just to bring us pie?"

"I may have had an ulterior motive. Are you the alpha?"

"I am."

"Can I talk with you privately? I appreciate that you guys don't get much time as human and you want to make the most out of it… but I'm not sure if this can wait for another month."

"Certainly. Inside?" I nodded. We headed into the cabin. He leant against a wall, arms folded. I shifted nervously, beginning to wish that I'd brought someone with me. "What's the problem?"

"Well obviously you helped look after me… when I was ill. So I'm presuming that you know about my... Condition?"

"You're expecting, yes, I am aware."

"Did Eve tell you about the parentage…?"

"She mentioned that it was… complicated."

"I'm going to say it. It's at least part vampire. It may also be part werewolf… but I can't say that for certain. I appreciate that your species haven't really gotten along…"

"That's putting it mildly." I decided to stop trying to be tactful and go straight for the jugular.

"Are you going to want to kill my babies?"

"That was direct."

"I had to make sure. This isn't anything against werewolves. It's just… people try to kill me fairly frequently, and I'm sort of making a life here in the city and I don't want to have to worry that I'm going to wake up one morning and find that I've inadvertently gone to war with your people."

"I understand. We do not kill babies."

"What about me? Do I get the same courtesy?" He eyed me.

"You don't seem like much of a threat." I bit my lip, deciding to take this a step further.

"Would you… consider an alliance?"

"An alliance? With you?"

"Yes. These children… they're vampire. They're witch. If they're werewolf, it could unite… or destroy. And given my experiences with the supernatural world, I don't think that many people will be happy with the idea of vampires having kids. And some might be a little too eager to exploit the possibility of super powerful hybrid children."

"So you want us to protect you? What's in it for us?"

"While I am pregnant… I have access to some of my children's abilities. The witch ones. I also have a very old book with some spells in it." Book might have been an exaggeration. More like, loose collection of paper scraps.

"You think you can break our curse."

"I'd be willing to try." He gave me a considering look.

"You're quite a girl."

"I've had my life controlled by vampires, witches, hybrids… you name it, I've had them with mess with me. I want my children to be safe. And I will do whatever it takes to ensure that."

"You have my interest. You can produce a cure, I guarantee our support."

"Even if it's not a werewolf?"

"Yeah."

"Thank you."

We regarded each other for a moment before stepping out of the cabin. I looked around at the happy people.

"I'll leave you to enjoy yourselves. I'll come back when I've worked out what to do."

I left. I'd not gone far when the enormity of what I'd just done hit me. I had no idea how to cure their curse! I couldn't even read half the spells I'd found, let alone perform them and I had no idea if the spell I needed would be in there! But if I managed… I would have secured my children an ally and prevented at least one wolf pack from savaging them in their cribs. It was so fucked up that these were things I had to consider. Most parents just had to worry about play dates and headlice! I had to make sure that my children made it through infancy without being torn to shreds by wolves, hexed by witches or bled dry by vampires. And I had to make sure that I didn't get abducted by other vampires who might want their own baby.

Oh yeah, and I hadn't even bought a crib for them yet.

I had to do this. It was important. I would read every spell I could find until I worked out how to free the wolves.

* * *

That was exactly what I did. I took the spells I had with me during my trips to the Mikaelson house and sat on the floor in the courtyard near Elijah. None of them seemed to be of any use. The ones that looked like they might be important were impossible to read. A combination of faded ink, yellowing paper and language I didn't understand meant I spent hours reading the same ones over and over again.

Elijah growled, breaking me from my concentration. I sighed and put down the paper.

"Stop it." I told him.

"Why do you bother talking to him? He doesn't recognize you," Rebekah chimed in from where she was sitting.

"Because it's better than sitting around doing nothing."

"I told you. We have to wait and eventually he'll go back to normal."

"It's been five days Rebekah. He's not changed at all." She sighed.

"What do you suggest then Elena?"

I put my papers to the side and got to my feet. I stood in front of Elijah and considered.

"Let him loose."

"What?"

"Excuse me?" said Finn, appearing on the upper floor balcony. "That doesn't seem like a good idea."

"Well I can't just sit here and watch him."

"So leave?" suggested Rebekah.

"No. I want to try this. If Elijah's really in there, he won't kill me."

"He bit you last time?" Finn reminded me.

"And I managed to subdue him. You guys don't have to watch, just give me the keys and I'll do this myself." Rebekah and Finn exchanged glances, clearly uncomfortable with my plan. To be honest, I wasn't even sure what I was doing. Rebekah got up and came over. She handed me the key.

"This is suicide." She went up to the balcony where Finn was and leant against the wall to watch. I clenched the key in my hand and moved closer to Elijah.

"Elijah. I'm going to unchain you. And you are not going to hurt me, because you are a good man."

I reached up to undo the first manacle. My arm passed by his face and he turned his head slightly, inhaling my scent. He let out a soft growl. I paused. I was trying to seem braver than I really was. Inside, I was terrified. He didn't try to bite me which I took as an encouraging sign. I released one of his manacles and stepped back, waiting to see what he would do. He didn't move, just watched me with quiet hungry eyes. Hand trembling, I reached out and unlocked the second one but didn't open it. I stepped back. He gave the manacle an experimental tug and his hand came free.

I looked him in the eye, keeping my face perfectly still. He took a step, every inch the predator. He prowled around me, not really moving towards me, but at the same time I knew he was hunting me. I stood my ground, keeping him in my line of sight at all times. He came to rest a foot from me, watching me intently. It was like the hunter part of his mind couldn't quite work out what to make of me. Prey was small and meek. Prey ran.

I stretched out my arms and beckoned him.

"Come on Elijah," I said softly. "Come and get me."

His lip curled slightly. His body tensed. I was ready for him.

He darted forward, fangs sprouting. I knew I couldn't move out of the way and I didn't try to. He grabbed hold of me, knocking me to the floor. He snarled and bit me, drinking deeply. I didn't struggle. I reached up and tangled my fingers in his hair, pulling his mouth away from my neck. More blood spewed from the wound as his fangs tore through the skin on the way out. I guided his mouth to mine and kissed him, ignoring the blood and the fangs. I kissed him, eyes closed. With my free hand, I found one of his and guided it to my stomach, pressing down firmly enough for him to feel it.

He reared back, fangs still bared. I closed my eyes, resigned to my fate. If I was to die trying to save one of the men I loved, so be it.

I waited for the bite, for him to tear open my throat and end me. But it never came. I could still feel his weight on top of me so I knew he'd not been dragged away. I opened my eyes slowly. He was sat on top of me, watching me. I bit my lip.

"Elijah…?" I was scared my voice would set him off again. He blinked and cocked his head as the sound registered. "Elijah." My voice was more confident now. I saw something flicker in his eyes.

"Elijah. It's me. Do you hear me? This is real."

"Elena…"

"Yes." I reached up and touched his cheek, my bloodstained fingers brushing against his skin. He turned his head slightly.

"You're bleeding."

"I am. Do you remember what happened…?"

"You died…"

"No… Klaus just said I did. But I'm alive. I'm alive and I'm here." I wrapped my arms around him and held him close, burying my face in the crook of his neck and inhaling his scent. It smelt like home.

* * *

 **A/N: I have some things to say. Firstly, yes I was joking about taking a three month break. That being said, you guys are the best. The amount of love I'm getting at the moment is so incredible. I wasn't even going to write anything for tonight because I felt so low but you guys keep me going. I love you all.**

 **Secondly, I am trying to do a chapter a day (more when I can't sleep) however next week I cannot guarantee any chapters as my mum is going into treatment and I'll probably kill any characters I come across. Then again, I might need the distraction and write extra. Who knows?**

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	14. Chapter XIII

Despite my best intentions, I didn't manage to tell the siblings my news that day. Elijah was took shaken up so I decided it was probably a good idea to wait until he was fully back to his old self. I also decided to wait until Kol was there to provide moral support.

I waited up for him that night, needing to talk. I was reading in bed when I heard the click of the balcony door and then a breeze wafted passed me. I looked up and he was perched on the bed beside me.

"Hey Darling"

"Hi Kol." He wrapped an arm around me. I rested my head on his chest and looked up at him.

"You alright? You've got a…" He ran his fingers over the bite on my throat.

"I snapped Elijah out of his funk. In a slightly unconventional method."

"That's great news."

"Yeah, except now I actually have to tell them about the twins."

"No one's making you."

"I'm not going to be able to hide it much longer. I'm surprised no one has noticed already."

He grinned and pulled up my top slightly, examining my bump.

"Yeah you are getting pretty big."

"Exactly. I'm not sure the loose clothing trick is going to work for much longer. It's barely working now."

"Do you think they can hear us?"

"I hope not, you swear too much."

"I don't bloody swear too much!" I raised an eyebrow. "Okay, I might swear a bit too much. I'm not used to being around kids."

"Wait till they're born," I poked him. "If they've got anything of you in them, they're going to be tiny nightmares."

"I will have you know I was an angel baby."

"Uh huh, I'm sure." I curled up next to him. "I'll wait a few days. Just till Elijah's feeling better. Then we'll tell them."

"If that's what you want."

"Will you come with me?"

"Of course." I sighed happily and looked up at the ceiling. "Do you know anything about magic?"

"Elena, my mother is the original witch. Of course I know about magic. I spent most of my time in this city with witches. Why do you ask?"

"I may have made a deal with some werewolves in return."

"You've been hanging with werewolves?"

"Well there's a pack in the bayou. They're the ones who rescued me after the incident with Mikael. But they've got this curse on them so they can only be humans at the full moon. And I figured that if I'm going to stay in the city, I don't want the local werewolves trying to kill me because I can have babies for their mortal enemy."

"Right, that makes sense. I assume your deal involved breaking their curse with your new found magic?"

"Yeah. I've looked at all the spells I found but they've not been much help."

"I can probably do something… I was quite close with a few witches, I can have a look through their stuff for a cure."

"My hero." I kissed his cheek. "We've come a long way." It was true. I had no idea how we'd got this far. It felt right though. I could only hope that the others were as accepting.

* * *

A few days later and it was time to find out. I said goodbye to Kol and got dressed. I picked clothes that showed off my bump and then put a coat over the top to hide it from Marcel's vampires. I left the compound, meeting up with Kol again further down the street. We headed to the Mikaelson house and let ourselves in. Elijah was in the courtyard reading the paper and the sight was so normal I almost cried out in relief. He looked up as we entered.

"Elena. And Kol… long time no see brother."

"I've been keeping busy," he said with a shrug.

"Is Rebekah and Finn in? I have something I need to tell you all." He frowned and looked at me with concern.

"Of course… I'll go get them." He disappeared for a moment, returning with his siblings. I bit my lip and waited until they were all seated.

"okay, so I have some rather big news… I'm not really sure how to say it so…" I undid my coat and slipped it off, revealing my belly. They stared. I could see Kol smirking slightly, amused by his siblings reactions. "Please… someone say something."

"How…?" Elijah asked.

"Oh come on brother, you're far too old to need the birds and the bees talk," Kol chimed in. Finn looked over and frowned.

"You don't seem surprised by this news Kol."

"I found out over two weeks ago. For the record though, before you get jealous, Elena didn't tell me. I broke into her room and found her scan photograph."

"Excuse me, how is this possible?" Elijah demanded.

"Cliffnotes version… the spell you guys did on me that bound you all to me essentially made you more… alive? And capable of impregnating women. Although if you got anyone else pregnant, they'd probably lose it. I only managed to keep it because I'm a loophole in nature. Any other questions?"

"Who's the father?" Rebekah asked.

"erm… three way tie. Could be Kol… could be Elijah… might be Klaus. Sorry Finn."

"This is fine by me. Congratulations Elena." I looked to Rebekah and Elijah.

"You guys don't have to be supportive. If you want, you don't even have to see me again. But I would like it if you would be part of their lives."

"Their?"

"Oh yeah, it's twins," cut in Kol. "Elena doesn't do things by halves"

Rebekah got up and came over to me.

"I'm with you. Although I wish you hadn't slept with all my brothers."

"It's not my fault. Your brothers… are really hot."

"Elena! That's not an excuse!"

"They brainwashed me!"

"That's true," said Kol. "Me and Klaus were actively competing to get her in bed. She's only partly to blame."

"Regardless!" Rebekah said with a wave of her hand. "I am with you Elena. And after everything you've done for us, anyone who isn't is a coward." She gave Elijah a pointed look. He got up and came over.

"How far gone?"

"27 weeks, ish."

"Who knows?"

"You guys, a pack of werewolves in the bayou and I think most of the witches. Although I didn't tell any of them about the pregnancy, they're just… a bit too perceptive."

"What does any of this have to do with you supporting the mother of your future family members?" Rebekah demanded, arms folded.

"I'm just trying to get the full picture so I can understand the situation."

"Here is the situation Elijah. Elena almost died to kill Mikael. She risked her life to make sure that you didn't go completely psychotic. She is carrying babies that are either going to be your kids, or your nieces and nephews. So, you will support her. Got it?" Rebekah glared at her brother until he nodded.

"Got it."

Rebekah ushered me over to a chair and I sat down.

"Do you want breakfast?"

"Umm… yeah sure?" She gestured to Kol and Elijah to go and prepare that. I chuckled as they disappeared.

"Why do I feel like you're going to use this to boss your brothers around?"

"Oh Elena, I am 100% going to use this to boss them around." Finn laughed.

"Well, thanks for sticking up for me. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"It's alright. I get it." Elijah brought out breakfast for me and I started eating. I had the weirdest sense of déjà vu. The family was all together again, with just one glaring exception. It felt oddly incomplete.

"What do we do now?" I asked. "I mean, I'm living with Marcel and eventually he's going to find out what's going on. I can't imagine other vampires are going to be very happy about it."

"We'll take care of you Elena. All three of you. We'll do whatever we have to in order to protect you," said Finn.

"I think it would make more sense for you to move back in here. It would certainly be easier to keep an eye on you over here." Elijah said.

"I'll think about it."

"But…"

"I said I'd think about it Elijah. I'm kind of enjoying being able to make my own choices, do not make me regret letting you out of your room."

"I think dying did you good Elena, you're all feisty again."

"When did I stop being feisty?"

"When you started sucking up to Klaus and being his little lap dog." I gave him a shove.

"Shut up!" Kol laughed. Elijah groaned.

"Oh great, Kol and Elena are back. Just what we needed."

"Admit it Elijah, you missed me." I pulled a cute face. He gave me a small smile. My phone rang. "Hang on, I've got to take this."

I left the courtyard to get some privacy, even though I was fairly sure that the others could still hear me.

"Hey Marcel, what's up?"

"Elena, there's a lot of magical activity going on. I want you and Thierry to go and investigate."

"Okay, should I come back or meet him there?"

"Meet him there, it'll be quicker. I'll text you the address" He hung up. I went back into the courtyard where the others were waiting for me.

"As pleasant as this has been, I have to get back to work." I put my coat on and headed out, realizing as I left that I'd have to keep it on or risk Thierry telling Marcel before I was ready. Realistically, I'd have to tell him soon. The only other choice was to just leave town but I liked it here.

I went to Witches Alley and leant against a wall near the address Marcel had sent me to wait for Thierry. I hummed to myself, not really paying attention to anything. I got my phone out and fiddled on it to pass the time.

I felt a strange tingling sensation pass over me. I frowned and looked up, a second before intense pain filled my head. I cried out and doubled over. The pain increased and I fell to the floor, clutching my head as I screamed. My tongue seemed to thicken and catch in the back of my throat, silencing me. My body stiffened and my limbs went rigid. The pain built. Blood dripped out of my nose and down my chin. I could see flashing lights but I wasn't sure if they were real. My body started to shake, I felt thick liquid bubbling up in my throat. I couldn't breathe. My eyes rolled back in my head.

Oh god, someone help me!


	15. Chapter XIV

**A/N: I started rewatching TVD after so long, starting midway through season 2 and I get so flipping giggly over Elijah XD. Also I forgot how brutal he was. I need to bring back headchopping window smashing Elijah.**

* * *

I was having an out of body experience. It was like I was watching from a great height. I saw my helpless body on the ground. I saw figures dressed in black surrounding me, hands outstretched. My body convulsed and liquid spewed from my mouth.

I heard an animalistic snarl and Thierry came into view. He grabbed the nearest witch and snapped her throat. The witches panicked and I saw the conflict on their faces as to whether they should fight back. Marcel emerged with Toby and the witches scattered. Marcel gestured for his men to pursue them and came to my side. My body had gone still and lay limp on the ground. Marcel examined me carefully, checking my pulse. His hand dislodged the fold of my coat and it fell open. His eyes widened, he looked around and I saw his mouth move although I couldn't hear the words. Thierry and Toby returned to him. He scooped my body into his arms and the three of them sped off.

I blinked and found myself back in my own body. I was in my room at the compound. Marcel was standing at the end of the bed, talking with a woman. It took me a minute but I recognized her. I'd seen her during my first visit to the quarter, when I'd been looking for the siblings. Marcel glanced over and noticed I was awake. He murmured something to the woman who smiled and left. He came over to my bed. I sat up slowly, wincing.

"So we need to talk," he said.

"I guess so." My voice was sore and raspy, like my throat had been rubbed with sandpaper.

"How long?"

"27 weeks. I'm guessing your witch told you that it's half vampire?"

"She did."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I was scared you'd kick me out and I'd have nowhere to go. I was going to tell you soon." He stayed silent. "I can leave."

"Not in your condition. And given that you just got attacked by witches, not alone. I called Rebekah and she's coming over with her brothers. We need to have a talk."

"Oh this is going to be… fun…"

"This is serious Elena."

"You don't think I know that? I've been dealing with this for a while Marcel. I know that it's an issue. I know that it's painted a target on my back for every supernatural creature to see. Do not think that I do not know these things." I sighed softly. "How are your guys dealing with this…?"

"I haven't told them the full details. They just think you're pregnant. But I can't keep it from them for long Elena. This community works on trust."

"I know… that's why I was scared to tell you. I didn't want to suddenly be ambushed by vampires wanting to procreate."

"I can appreciate that. I won't tell them tonight. We'll discuss the situation with Rebekah and the others… come up with some form of plan.

"You know you don't have to get involved in this."

"Well I have a code. No kids get hurt. Even unborn ones. And I have a feeling if I don't help, then they probably will."

"If I left them in a bathtub unsupervised, they'd probably drown. It doesn't mean you're responsible for not being there."

"This is my town. I have a duty to protect its people."

"Only the ones who aren't tasty."

"Elena, enough. Do you really want to only support you have to be the Mikaelsons? They're hardly a stable family. I mean, Elijah is meant to be the sane one. And he's been massacring girls who look like you."

"They're not stable, but they're my family. Your family too, remember?"

"If you're so loyal to them all, why haven't you told Klaus?"

"Who says I haven't?"

"The fact that he's not currently here." I made a face.

"Okay, I admit I haven't told him. Then again, he decided I was dead without evidence, convinced his family of that fact and abandoned me."

"Welcome to the club."

"There's no way I can convince you to stay out of this?"

"Not in the slightest." He paused and sat on the bed. "Don't you have any other family? I mean, I have an excuse. You do not."

"Most of my family is dead. My parents died in a car accident. Klaus killed my aunt to break his stupid hybrid curse. And my uncle died participating in a spell to keep me alive during the same ritual. I have my brother but he's safer if I stay away from him. Try and keep him from getting bogged down in all this mess."

He didn't speak, looking away. He got to his feet.

"They're here."

"Oh joy, I can put up with them poking me to try and make sure I'm okay." The door opened and the siblings came in. They looked wrong in this room. Too imposing. They didn't fit. Kol moved toward me but I warned him back with my eyes. I needed some space right now.

"So you're aware of Elena's condition?" Elijah began.

"Condition? She's pregnant not sick," snapped Kol.

"I've told Elena how I feel about this but I'll reiterate my position for you. I want to help, I'll provide what support I can."

"Glad to hear it," said Rebekah.

"That is a relief. However, I feel that, despite this, Elena should move back in with us." Elijah said.

"That seems very counter intuitive. If she's in the compound she has a lot more defence."

"Oh come on, Marcel. This place is hardly impenetrable. I've spent the past two weeks sneaking in without anyone noticing," said Kol. Marcel glared at him.

"Well we'll be sure to increase our security."

"It would make more sense to move her to ours and just put more security there," Elijah replied.

"Is anyone interested in my opinion?" I asked. They ignored me and continued debating the benefits of each place. I sighed. "I am not going to raise these children in a prison. You are all preparing for problems that we don't know exist yet." Again, ignored. "I'm going to jump off the balcony." Both of them looked up. "Oh, of course you heard that one!"

"Elena, we're only trying to protect you."

"Yes, I know. That's all everyone is ever trying to do. However I am a big girl and while one of you is the father, I am definitely their mother. So until such a time as we can determine which one of you gets a say in their lives, I will be deciding what happens. Now, does anyone have a problem with that?" Kol raised a hand. "Okay, noted. Get out."

"I wasn't going to object, I was just going to ask how we could determine the father? To prevent fighting?"

"The witches can probably do something but it might be best not to involve them for the time being." Marcel said.

"How about for the time being, we all just assume responsibility? No fighting. We, as the potential fathers, will discuss our thoughts privately and present a joint opinion to you once we have one," Kol said.

"Okay that seems fair. Marcel, Rebekah, Finn, if you would give us a minute so that we can discuss the future living arrangements?" They nodded and left the room. Kol and Elijah sat on the bed and looked at me expectantly. "I know that this is a difficult situation and I appreciate you both being mature about it."

"You looked at me when you said that," said Kol.

"I wonder why," said Elijah.

"Guys. Focus."

"Right, sorry."

"I don't really care where I live but I refuse to be a prisoner. I will stay here, I will go with you guys but I will not be locked in. I will come and go as I please. You can put whatever security in place that you like but I do not want to spend my life behind bars, and I don't want that for my kids either. Understood?"

"That's… surprisingly reasonable," said Elijah. "I thought this was going to be more difficult.

"Hey if you two can come to an agreement, I will do as you please." I sat back. They looked at one another, seemingly communicating without words, before turning back to me.

"We want you to move back in with us. We'd rather be on our own territory than Marcel's, despite the extra numbers available here."

"Okay. I leave it to you two to arrange whatever extra security you want for your house. Now, I'm going to sleep because I almost died today and that's super tiring." I waved my hands. They left the room. I curled up in bed and wrapped my arms around my stomach. "You two are causing a lot of trouble. You better be well behaved after all this."

I felt a sharp kick in my stomach. I laughed. Looks like that was a no then.

* * *

I wasn't sure what the discussions between Marcel and Elijah entailed but it lasted almost two days. Kol brought me food but when a soft knock came on my door, I knew that things had changed immediately.

"Come in," I called. Rebekah stuck her head around the door.

"They've finally finished talking. Marcel wants you downstairs." I got up and followed her down to the main area where Marcel had gathered his vampires. He beckoned me over and I joined him at the head of the group.

"Ladies and gentlemen. I am aware that there have been rumours circulating our compound for the past few days. I am here to address them and make an announcement." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "Most of you know Elena. She's not been with us long but nevertheless, she is one of us. However, two days ago I learned something that affects all of us. Elena is pregnant. And this child is the child of a vampire." A murmur spread through the crowd. Marcel raised his hands for silence. "Naturally you have questions. Our gifts come with obvious downsides, one being that we cannot procreate. This child… these children… are miracles. As Elena is one of us, I have vowed to help protect her and her children. I do not expect you all to agree with this decision and for those that don't, you are welcome to leave. However, those who remain, you are all duty bound to protect this woman and her children." He waited. A few people shuffled out but most stayed where they were. "Many will view this development as a threat. As such, I would like volunteers to go with the original vampires and aid in protecting their home from any who might seek to do harm. If you wish to volunteer, please see me. Dismissed."

No one left the room, although they all floated off to corners to discuss what they'd learned. I went over to Elijah and the others.

"When am I moving in?"

"A few days' time, once Marcel has sorted out his team. It should be easy. Most of your stuff is still there."

"How many vampires are we talking about?"

"Ideally not too many. We considered what you said about not wanting to be a prisoner."

"And if your arrangement with the werewolves works out," Kol added "We won't need as many."

"Did you mention that to him?"

"We mentioned that you were negotiating with some other parties and that we were not allowed to interfere despite vastly disagreeing with your choice of comrade."

"Most of those werewolves are friendlier than your brother. Besides, I don't know if that's going to work until figure out a cure." I shrugged. "I'm going to go pack. If I take my time, I might be able to stretch it out for a few days."

I trotted off upstairs. I felt confident that everything was going to be okay. I had told everyone who needed to know and I felt like a weight had been lifted. The vampires were on my side, the werewolves seemed to be too and I had my family. Things were looking up.

* * *

 **A/N: If I was to make this series into a trilogy, would people read it? I have a few ideas for how to end this one and one of those endings leaves it open for a sequel. I'm not guaranteeing anything of course (since the first story had a resolved happy ending until a review showed up two chapters from the end and changed my mind) and it might take me nine years to finish the series but would people read it if I did it?**


	16. Chapter XV

A few days later I moved back in with the Mikaelsons, accompanied by a small group of Marcel's vampires. Marcel had selected the vampires to join us and I'd been allowed to pick from them who would be my 'personal bodyguards'. I didn't like the idea of having vampires follow me around but Elijah was insistent and he said that they'd stay out of sight. It was more for their own peace of mind.

Now that I was settled in and I had no secrets left, I decided it was to do some serious fence mending. I'd repaired my relationship with the siblings (with one notable exception) but I'd been neglecting my own friends. I'd been so scared of how they'd react but I couldn't live in fear. It was time to open up.

I went to Elijah. He had assumed the role of the leader in the household and even though I was pretty determined to go through with my plan, I felt like I needed to ask, or at least inform him. Rebekah was sitting with him which pleased me since I was sure she'd agree with me.

"Elijah," I began.

"Elena."

"I want to have a dinner party."

"A dinner party?"

"Yes. I want to invite my friends from Mystic Falls and have them over so I can explain everything."

"Why…?"

"Because you essentially abducted me from town and they thought I was dead for months. They're my friends and they deserve to know what's going on. And believe it or not, I get along with my brother and I would quite like him to know my children!"

"Which friends…?"

"Jeremy obviously. Bonnie, Caroline, Matt, Tyler I guess… Alaric if he wants to come."

"No Salvatores?"

"Well, I'd like to invite Damon since he's been taking care of Jeremy. And even if I don't invite him, he'd probably just come with Jeremy anyway. Not so fussed about Stefan since he took a chunk out of my neck at the last dinner party." Elijah looked at Rebekah.

"You have to admit, her friends have proved to be quite resourceful in the past. And we did hijack her life." Elijah considered this before nodding.

"Alright. But you have to arrange it. Just tell me when you want to do it."

"Thank you!" I gave him a kiss on the cheek and scampered off to my room. I grabbed my phone and dialled Jeremy. He picked up on the first ring.

"Hello Elena."

"Hey Jeremy. Would you be up for a trip to New Orleans?"

"You finally ready to come home?"

"No, I'm actually having a dinner party. And I want you and all my Mystic Falls friends to come." There was silence for a moment.

"Is this an April fool's joke?"

"What? No. This is serious. Would you be up for it?"

"Yeah… I miss you." I smiled.

"I miss you too. I was thinking the 11th? Does that sound good?"

"Sounds good to me. And gives me plenty of time to try and convince the others to go." I laughed.

"I appreciate you intervening on my behalf. I'm going to send them proper invitations but I didn't have your new address."

"It's cool. I'll see you on the 11th. I can't wait. Oh… hold on, is Damon allowed to come?"

"Well I figured knowing him he'd just follow you there anyway. But Elijah said its fine."

"So you're back with them? I didn't want to ask."

"Well I am carrying their child. Children. But there's no Klaus this time. And most of the others are reasonably well behaved without him around."

"Okay…" He didn't sound convinced.

"I promise it'll be fine. Please Jer, it's important to me."

"Okay. I'll be there."

We said our goodbyes and I hung up. I set about making preparations. I knew ten days weren't needed but I wanted to make sure every detail had been thought of so there was no risk of anything bad happening. Well, except for Damon being there. I crossed my fingers and hoped that everything would work out.

I wrote out the invitations and slipped them into envelopes. I looked at them, running my fingers along the edges. Could I really do this? These were two separate parts of my life, I wasn't sure if they could work together. I got up and went to Kol's room, entering without knocking. He looked up from his des where he was working.

"You alright darling?"

"I'm not sure… I'm conflicted." I threw myself onto his bed with a huff. He came over and rubbed my back gently.

"What's up?"

"I want to invite my friends from Mystic Falls up here. But I don't know if it'll work… I don't know if I can have both."

"What do you mean?"

"Well there's them. And then there's you guys. And I love you all but I'm not sure if those things can go together." He stroked my hair gently.

"I can understand that. They're an important part of who you are and I know we'll try to get along with them if they do the same. But you have to appreciate that it's going to be awkward and we'll never be friends."

"Yeah I know…"

"I think you should risk it. You can't spend the rest of your life just with us. I mean, you'd probably go insane."

"True. Okay, I'll do it." I sat up. He smiled.

"That's my girl. Oh and I have a present for you." He went back to his desk and retrieved a pile of papers. "These are all the spells I could find. There might be one that can help with your werewolves."

"You're the best." I kissed his cheek and got up. "I better go post these invites before I chicken out."

I left his room and ran down the road to drop off my invites. I glanced up and caught a glimpse of one of my guards skulking on top of a building. I rolled my eyes, posted the invites and made a show of walking back dramatically for my guards to see. Now all I could do was hope that the others would actually accept my invitation and come see me.

* * *

Given that I didn't have that much to prepare, I decided to spend the next few days reading through Kol's spells and see if I could find something that looked helpful. I hadn't told Marcel about my plan for the wolves, even though he probably could have told me who to talk to about breaking it. Since he'd ordered it be put in place, I wasn't confident he'd help me or support me if I tried to break it.

I searched through the papers. They were all written by different people and I wondered just how many witches Kol had known in his life. Most of the spells were small things, interesting to know and ones that I'd definitely revisit but not exactly useful for my current situation. I gave a frustrated groan and resisted the urge to hurl the papers at the wall. Elijah stuck his head around the door.

"You alright love?"

"Yeah, just not having much luck with these spells."

"I figured." He held up a leather book. "I've come to contribute."

"Is that your mother's?"

"No, it belonged to a… old friend of mine." I considered for a moment, recalling what I'd read in his journals.

"Celeste…?" He frowned.

"How do you know about Celeste?"

"I may have… found some old journals of yours. In my defence, I didn't know they were yours at first." I fetched the journals. "Here, you can have them back."

"I never thought I'd see them again."

"They were just left at the house that Mikael held me at. I also found a violin in the same room… is that yours too?"

"It is."

"I didn't know you played."

"I haven't in a long time." He hesitated. "Did you bring it with you?"

"I did." I retrieved it for him. "Here."

"Thank you." He took it and handed me the book. "I hope this is helpful."

I smiled and returned to my bed. I flicked through Celeste's grimoire. It was a lot more detailed than the few scraps Kol had managed to gather for me, pages filled with her neat handwriting. I recognized it now from some of the letters I'd found before. Most of it was also written in French, which was somewhat problematic but there were a few neat diagrams which, coupled with my minimal French skills, gave me the basic understanding of what was going on.

 _Malédiction d'inversion de pleine lune._

The words caught my attention. Lune, that meant moon, right? I continued down the spell, searching for any other words that might indicate I had the right spell.

 _Ce sort est d'inverser la malédiction du loup-garou, les lier comme le loup aux phases de la lune et leur permettant de reprendre la forme humaine à son sommet._

Reversal of the werewolf curse. So this would be the spell that had been cast on them in the first place. Which meant, in theory…

 _Antidote pour les personnes affectées par un sort de renversement_

Bingo. There didn't seem to be many steps, just a list of ingredients along with a few pictures to help identify what I needed. Seemed easy enough. I smiled. I could do this. I translated as much of the list as I could, my heart sinking with each ingredient. These kinds of things weren't stuff I could find in a normal kitchen. I'd have to go see the witches to try and get these. This was going to require someone going with me, I could already see it.

I wondered if I could just sneak out. They'd probably want to know where I was going. Hmm…

I left my room and went downstairs, heading briskly for the door.

"Where are you going Elena?" asked Finn.

"Going to the witches to do some shopping! See you later!" I dashed for the door, glancing back over my shoulder. I collided with something solid and saw the three brothers lined up in front of me. I groaned. The guards had gathered in the courtyard, hanging back.

"I thought we agreed I could come and go?"

"There is a different between coming and going and marching into the place where you were attacked."

"Yes if I didn't do the last one I would never have come back here after what you did Elijah."

"Don't change the subject. You are not going there."

"And what would you have done if I'd said I was going somewhere else and then changed and gone to the witches."

"I would have been notified by your security." I let out a frustrated cry.

"I knew it! You can never let me do what I want, you have to make my decisions for me! I'm sick of it! I agreed to come back here because I care about you but if you start treating me like a prisoner, I will disappear. I'll leave this city and I will go far away and I will make sure none of you ever find me."

We squared off with one another. I refused to be intimidated by him. He didn't move.

"This is ridiculous. You're acting just like Klaus!"

"Do not compare me to my brother!" he snarled.

"You are! You are just like him! You think you know best and no one else's opinion even comes close to you, the great and all-knowing Elijah!" A sharp breeze blew through the courtyard, the gate rattled.

"I know I said that you wouldn't be a prisoner Elena but if you keep this up I will have no problem in locking you away for your own safety!"

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Elena maybe…" Finn started.

"NOT A GOOD TIME." The wind whipping around the courtyard grew stronger. Several of the vampires muttered nervously. The gate banged loudly as it shook.

"Elijah maybe you should…" Kol began.

"Be quiet."

We glared at one another. I clenched my fists.

"I will not spend my life cowering in a tower afraid of what the witches might do to me!"

"Witches are dangerous Elena!"

"Of course they're dangerous! So are vampires! But you're fine with their danger when you're screwing them!"

"I am capable of protecting myself, you are a child and you are not!"

"Oh I can't protect myself?" I raised my hand and Elijah was thrown backwards, colliding with the gate. "WATCH ME" I advanced on him. "I have survived everything that has been thrown at me. I defeated Mikael by myself. I stopped you from killing me and I brought you back to the light and if you do not back down Elijah Mikaelson, I swear to whatever god cares to listen that I will send you right back to the darkness and let you rot there! You are not my father, you are not my brother and you are not my husband, you do not get to tell me what I can and can't do!"

"You really think your cheap magic tricks are going to be able to defend you against a real threat? Those witches have been practicing years and have the power of centuries of ancestors behind them!"

"Shut up!" I felt a stab of pain in my stomach and I doubled over. Kol darted to my side.

"Both of you need to stop this, it's not healthy!"

"I agree. You're so worried about protecting her but you're hurting her," Rebekah growled at Elijah. "Kol and I are taking Elena out."

"You are not taking her to the witches."

"I am and you are not stopping us. I think we've all had enough of your ego trip for the day."

The two of them ushered me out of the courtyard, ignoring everyone else. The further we moved away, the more the pain in my stomach faded. I stayed silent until we'd gone a few streets.

"Thanks for that…" I said quietly.

"You need to be more careful. Using too much magic could hurt you."

"I didn't mean to use it. He just made me mad… and I couldn't control myself."

"That sounds like the vampire blood in your system. Your emotions are heightened. Everything even remotely negative becomes a fight or a tragedy." Rebekah rubbed my shoulder. "You'll adjust."

We walked to Witches Alley and towards Jardin Gris. Rebekah and Kol glared at any witch that came too close to us. We went into the shop and I showed them my list. As we were gathering herbs, I noticed the girl who'd been at the register during my last visit. She came over to me.

"Hey… I wanted to apologise. For what my friend said before."

"It's alright. I'm used to it."

"If I can help out in anyway, let me know," she gave me a friendly smile. "I know that a lot of the community aren't happy about it but… I'm on your side."

"Thanks. I don't suppose you could help me find these?" I showed her my list and she nodded. She helped us collect everything we needed and bagged them up for us.

"Good luck," she said. "I hope everything works out."

We took our bag and left the shop. I dragged my feet, reluctant to return home and have to deal with Elijah again. Sensing my hesitation, Kol gently squeezed my hand and Rebekah rubbed my arm. I sighed and hoped that the emotions would get easier to deal with.

When we got back, Elijah was skulking around the courtyard. I ignored him, I went up to my room and locked the door.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the delay on this one. Next chapter we get the return of old friends :)**


	17. Chapter XVI

**A/N: This chapter was delayed by me spending Friday night running around London dressed as a 19** **th** **century French prostitute and spending today a) recovering from previous activity and b) attempting to be a good student and actually do coursework.  
**

* * *

Elijah stayed away from me for the next few days. I didn't care, I was too busy setting stuff up for my dinner party and working on my werewolf cure. Kol gave me access to the Mikaelson accounts so that I could book some hotel rooms for my friend (I realised that given the time it took to get to the city that they'd probably need to stay overnight and I wasn't sure they'd feel comfortable staying with me).

I got a text on the day of the dinner party from Jeremy telling me that they'd arrived a little early and were going to spend some time at their hotel freshening up. He didn't say who had come with him but I kept my fingers crossed that everyone had accepted my invitation. Kol appeared about an hour before they were due to arrive. He gathered the security team, which seemed to have doubled suddenly, and directed them to their positions. I finished setting up and sat on the steps that lead up to the balcony. The courtyard looked beautiful with candles set around, illuminating the ivy in a pale glow. I'd put the table in the centre and had set the places, even though Rebekah had hired staff for the evening.

Kol came over to me and perched on the step above, reaching over and gently squeezing my shoulder.

"You okay darling?"

"I'll be fine… just nervous. I'm not sure if they're all going to come… and I'm not actually sure if that's a bad thing anymore."

I heard loud voices from outside, shouting and arguing. Kol raised an eyebrow.

"You might be right."

"I think our guests are here…" I said softly, recognizing the angry voice. Jeremy came in, his face breaking into a bright smile when he saw me.

"Hey Elena." He came over and hugged me carefully. I was surprised how much he'd changed. I mean, he didn't look that different, but something felt different around him.

"Jer! You've got so much taller!"

"You've got so big!" He nodded at my stomach. I covered myself with my arms, feeling embarrassed.

"Well… that's to be expected considering… you know, twins. What's going on out there?"

"Oh your security team were searching us for weapons. Damon got a bit pissed about it."

On cue, Damon strolled into the courtyard with the rest of my friends behind him. He was talking loudly, glaring over his shoulder at the guards hovering in the doorway.

"Here I was thinking we were just coming to visit Elena, not the vampire queen of New Orleans!"

"I'm not the vampire queen…" I muttered. Kol leaned down.

"You kinda are, darling." I grimaced and got to my feet, Kol helping me. As I stood, my friends let out a collective gasp.

"Alright, everyone have a good look. I am pregnant, it's twins, that's why I didn't come back. I will answer all questions about it now and then I would rather not discuss the awkward parts of it for the rest of the evening."

"Well I think we're all wondering who the father is?" Oh god, they were all going to judge me so badly. Saying that it was an original vampire was bad enough but saying it could be any of three vampires, including one who betrayed us and one who actively tried to murder us was going to get me so much hate. Before I could speak, Kol stepped forward.

"I'll take credit for that one." He smiled. "I'm not sure I've been officially introduced to all of you. I'm Kol Mikaelson. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

"So… you're dating one of the original vampires?" Matt asked.

"No, not exactly. It's weird and complicated and nobody's business except ours. However, I will say that I am friends with… four fifths of them. And I am living with them and anyone who cannot accept that should probably leave now." Damon turned to leave, Jeremy grabbed his arm.

"Elena, I care about you and while I obviously have reservations about this, you don't get many chances to be happy. If these guys make you happy, then I say you deserve it. I'm sure everyone else would agree."

"Thank you Jeremy." I smiled. "Any other questions about my mythical super vampire pregnancy?"

"How is this possible?" Bonnie asked. She was staring at my stomach, her expression making it seem like the very sight of it was going to make her vomit. I self-consciously wrapped my arms around myself.

"The witches said that the spell that was performed on me linking me to the originals made them human enough to conceive. And then my body didn't reject the pregnancy because of being a doppelgänger. I am nature's perfect loophole."

"That's so stupid…" said Damon. "That sounds like the desperate attempt of some terrible supernatural romance writer to justify and pad out their story."

"Yes well I am still pregnant so clearly it makes some sense. Are there any other questions before we move on?" No one spoke. "Great. Let's have a seat."

We went over to the table I'd set up. Rebekah entered the courtyard with Finn and they took their seats.

"You guys know Rebekah. This is Finn."

"No Elijah tonight?" Caroline asked.

"Umm… I don't think he'll be joining us." As I was speaking, a door opened and Elijah came in in his neatly pressed suit. Kol gave me a quick shrug, clearly as surprised as I was by his appearance. He didn't speak, just sat down. Everyone shifted awkwardly in their seats, unsure of what to do. The servers bought out the first course and set the plates in front of us.

"So I'm assuming by the extra security that the vampires of the city are in support of you Elena?" Alaric asked.

"Kind of. They're part of the group run by Marcel, he runs the city."

"You really are the vampire queen," chimed in Matt.

"Well, I am not dating Marcel."

"Oh a vampire you're not dating, that's a surprise." Damon murmured. I glared.

"There's a bit of a divide but most of the local vampires seem happy enough. They agreed to protect us. I'm working on getting the local werewolves on side too and… some of the witches are okay with it."

"Well you can hardly blame the rest for being disturbed by the prospect of bloodsucking monsters being able to have children," said Bonnie. Rebekah growled under her breath and a hand found mine under the table. I wasn't sure who it belonged to but I squeezed gratefully.

"Miss Bennett?" Elijah said, speaking up for the first time. "You consider yourself to be friends with Miss Forbes, correct?"

"Yes…"

"And if I recall, your friend was turned against her wall by Katerina, right?"

"Yes…?"

"So are you saying that if your friend, who essentially had her life stolen from her, found a way to have a child after the opportunity was robbed from her, you wouldn't support her?"

"Of course I'd support her. She's not a…"

"Not a monster? Exactly. Don't tar us all with the same brush Miss Bennett. Many of us had no choice in becoming what we are." Bonnie looked away. Caroline smiled brightly.

"I'm happy for you Elena. I mean, it would have been nice if you hadn't disappeared for months. But I'm still happy for you."

"Technically I was kidnapped and in a coma for most of that time." I said with a slight smile. "But thank you. I was actually hoping that you and Bonnie would be the twins' godmothers. And Jeremy… Damon… would you be their godfathers?" I bit my lip, unsure how they'd react. I'd been thinking about this for a few days. Since I was living with Finn and Rebekah anyway and anything that prevented me from looking after my children would probably stop them too, I decided against picking them. Jeremy was the obvious choice. I just wasn't sure about Damon… or Bonnie come to think of it.

"Of course I'd love to," said Jeremy.

"Me too! And I want to throw you a baby shower!" Caroline said with a bright smile. I smiled back, grateful, before turning to look over at Damon and Bonnie.

"You'd really want me to…?" Damon said, confused.

"Yeah. I know that you can be incredibly determined when it comes to keeping someone you care about safe. I think you'd be perfect." He nodded slowly.

"Okay… yes." I smiled, pleased.

"Bonnie…?"

"I… I don't know." She said, biting her lip. "I need to think about it for a while."

"Okay. I understand." It wasn't a no anyway. We continued with our meals, eating and the conversation around the table slowly became more relaxed. It was kind of amazing to watch Finn chatting with Alaric about history and Kol discussing sports with Jeremy, Tyler and Matt. Rebekah and Caroline remained frosty but I wasn't expecting miracles. We finished our starters and the plates were cleared, being replaced by the mains.

"Are you planning on coming back to Mystic Falls anytime?" Tyler asked.

"Well I kind of like it here. And I'm hoping things have got more peaceful for you all without me around." They exchanged guilty looks which I took as confirmation. "It's okay, you can say it. I know that I'm bad luck."

"You're going to inflict that on the people of New Orleans instead? Haven't they suffered enough?" Damon said.

"Well so far I've been here for months and I've only been attacked twice. And the first time wasn't my fault because the person wasn't even after me."

"That is quite a record for you,"

"Still," said Caroline. "It's not the same without you."

"I'll come visit," I promised. A server came around with a jug. I caught the scent of the contents and realised that it was blood. I tried to ignore it but I felt a slight rumble in the depths of my belly. I huffed to myself and considered what to do. I didn't want to resist, then suddenly have my cravings overtake me and have me pounce on Matt.

They filled Caroline and Damon's glasses and as they passed me to get to the siblings, I lifted my glass slightly to indicate that I wanted some. I was trying to be as subtle as possible and not draw attention to myself but even as I lifted the glass to my mouth, I could feel eyes turning to me. I sighed and took a decisive gulp of the liquid, wiping my mouth to ensure no traces remained.

"You… drink blood now?" Jeremy asked, hesitantly. Even he seemed weirded out by this. Then again, that didn't surprise me.

"Please don't remind me, if I think about it too much I might throw up." Everyone continued to stare at me. I sighed. "Right, okay, so the vampire, witch elements of my children have some effect on me too. I get cravings for blood. It is horrible."

"Witch?" Bonnie asked.

"Our mother was the original witch," Elijah said. "And before we were turned we were witches."

"Only genetically, not all of us took advantage of our magic." Kol said.

"But this means that Elena's children are part witch as well as part vampire." Rebekah added.

"And what elements of the witch blood to you experience Elena?" Alaric asked, curious.

"Well, the magic. I can do… some magic. My friend Sophie described it as having a nuclear bomb of untapped magical potential in my womb. I mean, I can't do anything crazy with it though."

"You're too modest Elena. You threw Elijah across a room. Twice. And you almost caused a hurricane." Rebekah said. I got the feeling that she was only emphasising my new abilities as a way of getting at Bonnie for her bloodsucking monster comment.

"Hurricane might be going a bit far. A strong breeze seems more accurate," I corrected.

"She also killed our father singlehandedly." Kol said.

"That wasn't my magic though. All I did was stab myself and he died. Not really relevant to this conversation."

"I know it wasn't relevant. I just like talking about how bad ass you are." He gave me an affectionate nudge. "Proud of you."

"But don't worry Bonnie. My magic only lasts until I give birth so I only have a few more months of it. And I don't use it unless I have to. I'm trying not to upset the balance of nature by messing with magic. I mean, any more than I already have." She didn't look very convinced. I guess, given that she was an actual witch who had to struggle to use her power without it draining her, the idea that I had suddenly been given all these powers might be something of a sore spot. "Although, I am trying to do one spell and I'd love your help on it if you're up for it after dinner? I'm clueless about anything more advanced than lighting a candle."

She gave me a tentative smile, sensing the olive branch I was offering her.

"Sure. I'd like that."

We finished our mains without incident and started our dessert. By this point everyone was far more relaxed, having adjusted to the awkwardness and consumed quite a lot of alcohol. Tyler was discussing bars to visit nearby with Kol, seemingly very excited about the prospect of going out into the city with the young vampire. Jeremy was also engaged in the conversation and I resolved to keep an eye on him since I wasn't entirely confident sending him out into the party capital that was filled to the brim with vampires and letting him get drunk with two super strong reckless beings who could compel people was a good idea. I was chatting with the girls about Caroline's baby shower ideas and, after a little prompting, I'd even managed to get Rebekah to join. It was rather amusing how similar she was to Caroline and once they'd both gotten into it, it was fun to just sit back and watch them passionately debate over different types of decorations.

A commotion came from outside and I looked up. I could hear the guards shouting. No one else seemed to have noticed, too caught up in their conversations. The door to the courtyard was pushed open so hard that it slammed into the wall with a loud metallic clang that reverberated around the space.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE THESE PEOPLE DOING IN MY HOUSE?"

* * *

 **A/N: It's 3am and i'm exhausted. I am probably going to try and do more coursework when i wake up so i can't guarantee another update for a little bit.**


	18. Chapter XVII

We all stared. I sank down in my chair, hoping he wouldn't notice me. His eyes were sweeping the room without really seeing any of us properly as we stared, unsure of what to do. Elijah broke the silence first.

"Niklaus. We weren't expecting you." He got to his feet and moved to stand between the table and his brother. Rebekah got up and joined him.

"Particularly since when we saw you last, we made it clear we didn't want to ever see you again," she growled. It was strange seeing Rebekah address him with actual malice. I'd seen her angry at him before but that was always different. Her voice was full of venom and hatred infected every word.

"Well I heard that there was some miracle vampire pregnancy occurring in the city and like a wise man I came to see if there was any truth to it. Is there?" Rebekah and Elijah exchanged glances. "Oh? Really? It appears my trip was not in vain. Who's the lucky girl? I'll have to pay her a visit."

"No need." I said, getting to my feet. "I'm right here." Kol grabbed my arm, trying to keep me in place but I shrugged him off. I walked around the table and between the two siblings until I was stood in front of Klaus. I locked eyes with him.

"Elena…"

"Niklaus."

"You're…"

"Not dead? I know. But then again, you never saw the body. You didn't even look for it. You just decided… I wasn't worth searching for."

"You're pregnant."

"Yes. I am. I'm also in the middle of something right now and since you've walked in, uninvited, you can walk right back out and stay out until we are finished here." He didn't move. I sighed and turned back to the table.

"I understand if this unexpected arrival has ruined people's appetites and you're under no obligation to stay for something that will most likely be quite unpleasant." No one moved. I gave them a grateful smile before turning back to Klaus. He was still staring at me as if in shock. I folded my arms and he blinked, looking at his brother.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because we didn't want you to know," Rebekah said. "Because we all hate you."

"Be that is it may, I had a right to know if Elena is carrying my child."

"It's not your child," snapped Kol.

"And even if it was, which it's not, you don't…" I paused and looked over at Jeremy. "Cover your ears." I turned back to Klaus. "You do not get an automatic right of access just because you spent five minutes on top of me one time."

"It's my child and you should have told me."

"How can you just assume that it's your child?"

"Of course it's mine. Werewolves can have children. Vampires can't. I have wolf DNA. Ergo, it must be mine. Now, why didn't you tell me?" I rolled my eyes, ignoring his deductions.

"Let's review the actions that might have stopped us from telling you Klaus. You abandoned me for dead. You daggered all of your siblings. You drove Elijah insane, you made Finn starve himself and you turned Kol into a drunken wreck. Are you getting the picture?"

"Not to mention turning Tyler against his will," added Caroline, coming over to stand with me. Tyler followed her. "Or trying to sacrifice us"

"Or killing my aunt and uncle," said Jeremy, coming to my other side.

"Or possessing me," said Alaric, joining us.

"Or trying to kill me." Bonnie was at my side.

"Or actually killing Elena. Or kidnapping my brother. Or kidnapping Elena, twice." Damon put his hand on my shoulder.

"As well as generally terrorising us and our town" finished Matt.

"Exactly," I glared at Klaus. "So leave. And if you go now, without causing a fuss, I'll consider letting you be part of their life. If you don't, we will remove you forcibly and I will ensure that you never get to see my child." He scoffed.

"You really think your little ragtag group can stop me?" I looked over to Elijah.

"Can I…? I really want to."

"Yeah, go ahead."

I stepped forward closed my eyes and took a deep breath, summoning the magic inside of me. I didn't strain for it, I just opened my body to it and felt the warmth spread through me. When I opened my eyes, Klaus was watching me with an eyebrow raised. I lifted my hand slowly, considering what to do, and curled my fingers into a fist. Klaus let out a strangled growl of pain, clutching his head. I watched him, feeling the power radiate off me. He fell to his knees, blood beginning to drip from his nose. I looked to Elijah and Kol and gestured for them to remove him. They dragged him out and locked the gate behind him. I sat down, feeling exhausted.

"Remind me not to piss Elena off," said Tyler.

"It's not that impressive," I said. "Bonnie can do that one too. And she probably doesn't feel so shitty afterwards."

Everyone returned to the table and started picking at their desserts although the mood had been ruined.

"So I'm guessing it's not… confirmed that you're the father?" Alaric asked Kol.

"Those details are at Elena's discretion to disclose." Kol said.

"And Elena would prefer it if we did not discuss her sex life over dessert." I said.

"Alright, how about we discuss your hybrid problem instead? Since I very much doubt that Klaus will stay away and you might not be able to hold him off next time." Damon said. "And your guards are all vampires, who can easily be dispatched with one bite."

"Well… maybe, if Klaus was just a vampire again you could keep him at bay?" Caroline asked.

"It would certainly make the task easier," said Finn, "But I'm not sure we'd be able to."

"Your mother did it once… surely we can just repeat the spell?" I asked.

"Isn't that the spell that requires your death?" Jeremy asked.

"No that's how it gets undone."

"But if you put the spell on him that requires you to be killed to undo it, surely he will just do the same ceremony that will undo it. And kill you in the process."

"Well there's got to be another way to bind his wolf side." I said.

"In the meantime," Elijah said. "It would be a good idea if-"

"If that sentence ends with a suggestion that I don't leave the house, I will blast you out of that door to join your brother."

"Try sealing her in. It's worked before," said Damon. Elijah ignored him, focused on me.

"Well there is an angry hybrid after you." He pointed out.

"Angry hybrid can get into the house. As previously demonstrated. So staying inside achieves nothing." I turned to Jeremy. "Are you guys leaving tomorrow?"

"No, we're staying a few days. We figured we may as well enjoy the town while we're here."

"Awesome. I can show you around?"

"Sounds like a plan." Elijah made a disapproving noise.

"Come on, I'll be surrounded by vampires, a vampire hunter, a witch and a hybrid. I'll be fine." He didn't look happy about it but nodded reluctantly. We finished up our meal and everyone said their goodbyes. I directed some of the vampires to follow them and make sure they made it to their hotel without Klaus interfering. I helped tidy up and then headed up to my room. The siblings looked like they wanted to talk about the night's events but I waved them away. I lay on my bed and stared up at the ceiling. I had a sour taste in my mouth. My evening had been well and truly spoiled. I picked up my makeshift spell book (the collection of spells I'd gathered and that Kol had given me) and flicked through in an effort to distract myself. Maybe I could find something to strip Klaus' wolf side… make him less of a threat…

I considered for a minute. I could always do the moon reversal spell and trap him as a wolf for most of the month. I mean, I had the spell for that one and how much damage could he do like that? Resolved, I put the book down.

I lay in bed listening to the siblings downstairs until the noises faded and gave way to silence. I closed my eyes and was beginning to doze off when I heard a strange noise coming from my bedroom door. I sat up, cocking my head slightly to listen. It went silent for a minute and I was beginning to think I'd imagined it when I heard the sound again. It was a scratching noise, claws on wood. I got up and walked towards the door, stopping beside it. The noise cut off. I waited. It only took a few minutes before it started up again. I could see now shadows moving on the other side of the door, the strip of light between floor and door being cut off intermittently as whatever was there scrabbled and scratched.

I opened the door. A wolf was stood on the other side. When I opened the door, it let out a startled yelp and retreated a step.

"Really?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "We're doing this this way?" The wolf cocked its head to the side, looking up at me. I sighed. "Fine, come on in then."

I stepped aside. The wolf ran past and into the room. It leapt up onto the bed and lay there, resting its head on its paws.

"Make yourself at home why don't you." I came and sat on the bed beside the animal. "This conversation would go a lot easier if you could participate in it." He didn't move. "Look I know you're mad at me. If I'm honest, I'm mad at you. And I have a lot more reason to be. It's natural for you to want to be involved in your child's life but… I don't think it's a good idea. You're just… not… good. I used to think you were completely evil and I know now that's not true. You're just a product of your own screwed up parenting. But you have to admit that you have your flaws. You're selfish and cruel and you terrify me sometimes… I don't want that for my children… I don't want you to be another Mikael." The wolf whined. "You know you're a lot easier to talk to like this." I reached over and, after a moment's hesitation, gently ran my fingers through his fur. "I know you probably won't listen but please… please don't ruin this. I'm happy for the first time in years. I want my children to be happy. And I don't know if that can happen with you."

The wolf licked my hand. I lay down and he moved to lay beside me, resting his head against the curve of my belly.

"It might not even be… I mean, I've had vampire and witch symptoms… no werewolf symptoms though." I played with the fur around his ears. "I'm sorry about what I said, but you really did hurt me. I used to think you were a monster… and then you made me care about you… and then you abandoned me." I felt tears on my cheek. "Why would you do that?"

The wolf whimpered and nuzzled against me.

"Why can't you be like this all the time?"

He nipped my fingertip lightly and I smiled sadly. This was more like the man I had come to know and care about, the sweet hurt man that hid beneath the monster he presented. It was funny that I felt closest to him now when he was furthest from human. I closed my eyes, lightly running my fingers through his fur. I found the action soothing and the feeling of his hot breath through my pyjama t-shirt was oddly comforting.

"Please think about it," I murmured. The tears continued to run down my cheeks as I lay with the wolf, arms wrapped around his slim furry body.

* * *

 **A/N: I can't guarantee happy chapters for the rest of the week. Would you guys rather I wait until it's more likely to be happy or just let me post sadness?**


	19. Chapter XVIII

I slept late and when I woke up, the wolf was gone. There was no trace he'd ever been there and I wondered if the whole thing had been a figment of my imagination, some mental manifestation of my feelings towards Klaus.

I got up and went to the bathroom as if in a trance. I felt drained, stripped from the inside and I wasn't sure why. I stood under the hot spray of the shower, hoping it would revitalize me somewhat. Seeing the wolf the night before had reminded me of things I needed to do. I decided to finish the cure for the bayou werewolves and drop that off before anything else distracted me. Once that was done, I could consider performing the reversal spell on Klaus. After last night, with him being so sweet, I was almost reluctant to do it but I knew that I needed to think about the future. Just because he'd been nice once didn't mean anything. He was still a threat.

I got out of the shower and sent Jeremy a text telling him that I wouldn't be free to hang around that day. I got dressed and gathered up everything I needed. I'd gotten Kol to translate the spell to English for me so I was now confident I had everything I needed. I decided to perform the spell in the bayou where there was less chance of being disturbed. I put the translation in my pocket and, after a moment's thought, I put Celeste's grimoire in my bag.

I went into the kitchen to get a snack, grabbed my bag and headed towards the door, surprised when no one appeared to stop me. In fact there was no one around at all.

I was going to just leave but I felt bad. I scribbled a quick note and left it on the stairs, before heading out of the house. I was walking through the streets when I paused. I felt like someone was watching me and it made me incredibly uncomfortable. Maybe it would be better to have someone with me.

I rang Bonnie's number.

"Hi Elena"

"Hey Bonnie. Are you doing anything?"

"Not really. Caroline has gone into hyper holiday mode and is trying to cram the day full of activities but has been so preoccupied with that that we've not actually left yet."

"Well would you care to join me on a little trip?"

"Does this trip involve magic?"

"It does… although you don't have to join in with that bit if you don't want to. Oh and maybe ask Tyler if he wants to come?"

"I'm guessing there are wolves involved then?"

"We probably won't see any but yes, I am heading out to the bayou to visit the wolf pack."

"Well I'm up for it. Hang on." I heard her calling to Tyler, her voice muffled slightly. "Yeah, he's in as well."

"Great. I'll meet you by your hotel?"

"See you in five."

I headed down the street to their hotel, keeping an eye out for any sign of Klaus lurking nearby. I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched even though I didn't see anyone. My paranoia delayed me a bit and when I reached the hotel, Bonnie and Tyler were already waiting outside for me.

"Hey, sorry I'm late."

"It's alright. You have to waddle everywhere, we can make allowances," Tyler teased. I scowled.

"You try carrying twins, see how fast you can walk."

We headed out of the city and towards the bayou. I led the way, weaving through the trees as if I was being guided by something I couldn't see. Progress was slow and by the time we got there it was late afternoon. I reached the cabin and called out to Eve so she wouldn't be startled by our arrival. She didn't appear so I assumed she was busy or asleep.

"This is where the werewolves live?" Tyler asked, wrinkling his nose.

"Not everyone can be the son of the mayor," Bonnie said.

"But this is…"

"Well they're banned from the quarter and cursed to be stuck as wolves, so this is the only place they can really stay." I explained.

I built up a fire and put a pot over it. Tyler sat down nearby as Bonnie and I worked through the spell.

"So what do they have to do with this?" she asked. I checked the paper.

"It says they all have to drink it on the next full moon."

"That's only a few days away." Tyler said. "It's the 12th, the full moon is the 18th."

"Good to know," I smiled. "So I've got a jar for it, I'll put it in the cabin with instructions but I'll probably come back out here on the full moon just to make sure it all works out." I sat down next to Tyler and waited for the pot the boil. Bonnie perched on a log opposite me.

"So how goes the plan for getting rid of Klaus?"

"Well I still think the best idea is to strip his werewolf side completely but I don't know how to do that without recreating the spell that bound him originally. And Jeremy was right, Klaus will just grab me, go straight back to Mystic Falls and do the sacrifice again. I don't want that… So my back up plan is to use the same curse that's on the werewolves around here on him. He'll still be dangerous but I figure at least if he's a wolf he'll be lacking opposable thumbs and the ability to recruit anyone into helping him."

"Do you have the spell?"

"I do." I fished Celeste's grimoire from my bag and handed it over to her. "Elijah gave it to me. Most of it's in French."

"So this belonged to the witch who performed the curse?"

"I guess so. Or she knew her." I shrugged. "Do you think it would work?

"I can't see why not… the only issue is that this spell is designed to reverse the nature of a werewolf. Klaus can change at will, so it would require some alterations." She settled down, examining the spell with interest. We sat in silence for a while, watching as the sun set over the water.

"Bonnie, could you tell me if there's wolf blood in me? I mean, in my children?" She looked up.

"Maybe. I can try at least. I don't know any specific spells for that… I mean, I can't imagine there's much call for them, but I could try… something."

"Would you…?"

"This Klaus thing has really got you worked up, hasn't it?"

"I just… I need to know if it's another thing to worry about."

"Okay, sure. Tyler can I have a little of your blood? It'd be helpful, since you're part werewolf and your vampire side comes from Klaus." He nodded.

Bonnie got up and gestured for me to lie down. I got comfortable on the dirt and she knelt beside me. Tyler came over and sat next to her. Bonnie pulled up my top and took Tyler's hand. He handed her a penknife and she carefully ran the blade across his hand. The blood dripped down onto my stomach. I grimaced.

"Never going to get used to this." Bonnie gave me an apologetic smile and held her hands over my bloodstained skin.

"Veritatem revelare. Et sanguinis vinculis reveletur." Nothing happened. Then, slowly, a small tingle spread through my skin. The blood on my skin began to bubble as if it was boiling. Pain seared across my flesh, red hot.

"Ahh!"

"Oh shit…" Bonnie quickly wiped away as much of the blood as she could. I sat up, wincing.

"What does that mean?"

"I… I don't know."

We moved back to our original positions slowly. Bonnie returned to the grimoire, Tyler returned to poking the fire with a stick and I sat, thinking about what a mess I'd made of everything.

This couldn't be my life… I couldn't do this… I couldn't put my children through this. It was just one disaster after another.

"Fire's dying down," I said to no one in particular. "I'm going to get some more. Tyler, can you give me a hand?" He nodded and got to his feet.

We wandered a short distance, picking up sticks as we went. I forgot how at home I felt out here, surrounded by nothing but trees and the sound of water.

"Tyler?" I said suddenly, breaking the silence. "Can you… sense other werewolves?"

"Sometimes… it's more like I can smell them though. Why?"

"What Klaus said… about my children being his… it made sense…" I picked up a stick. "Vampires can't procreate, werewolves can. It makes a lot more sense than anything else."

"Nothing makes sense around you Elena."

"Klaus will never stop trying to get them... will he?" Tyler stayed silent, looking down. "It's okay, you can tell me the truth."

"He's not the type to give up." I leant against a tree, closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I knew that I couldn't force my children into a life of fear, running from their father. I'd seen what that had done to Klaus.

"Am I a bad person?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"Because everything turns to crap around me… everyone dies and those that don't get hurt… if I was a good person, I would have put rocks in my pocket and walked into the river."

"Don't say that Elena."

"It's true though. If I was dead, people would be safe." I opened my eyes and looked up at the sky. "If I was a good person, I wouldn't let these children exist… their lives can only be bad…"

"Elena…"

"Tyler I want you to promise me something."

"What…?"

"If I can't do the spell… if I can't stop Klaus from being a threat to them… I want you to take my children and send them far away… and then I want you to kill me."


	20. Chapter XIX

Tyler stumbled back, staring at me with a mix of horror and shock.

"I… I can't do that Elena…"

"Please Tyler, I'm begging you. Promise me. I can't let Klaus get hold of my children and I won't risk him using me to make more. Please. Tyler. I can't ask anyone else, I know they won't do it."

"Because it's crazy."

"My entire life has been turned upside down by vampires, specifically by this vampire because of who I am. I cannot stand the idea of him doing that to anyone else. And I know that doppelgangers are rare but eventually one will come along and the thought of what might happen to her terrifies me. Please Tyler, I will do anything, just promise that you won't let him get hold of us." I reached out and took his hand, placing it on my stomach. I hoped that if there was any wolf in there, any fragment of Klaus, it would sway him and get him to agree.

He considered for a long time, watching me with a conflicted expression. He grimaced and nodded slowly.

"Fine… I promise."

"Thank you." He made a face to show just how displeased he was with the arrangement but didn't speak. We continued gathering sticks, splitting apart to gather more ground. I knelt down to gather more sticks and when I lifted my head, I found myself face to face with a wolf, its gold eyes staring out at me from the darkness.

"Hello…" The wolf growled softly, sniffing at me. I held up my hands trying to show that I meant no harm. The wolf lifted its muzzle and pressed it gently to my belly, sniffing. I stiffened slightly, unsure if this was one of the wolves from the bayou pack. I offered my hand. The wolf licked it lightly and retreated into the darkness. I felt slightly more comfortable now, knowing that the wolf was there. I looked up and saw Tyler watching.

"They're drawn to you. Even I can feel it. There's something special around you Elena. I don't know if its wolf blood inside you or if it's something else but its pulling everyone in. They want to help."

"I wish it was that easy." I looked after the wolf, wishing I could follow it into the trees and never look back.

I finished gathering up sticks and headed back up with Tyler. We returned to the fireside where Bonnie was still sitting. I checked the pot. The mixture had thickened up nicely. I wasn't sure exactly how it was meant to look but it seemed right.

"I think it's done," I said. "I'm going to let it cool, then put it in the jar and leave it in the cabin for Eve." I was surprised that she hadn't made an appearance yet. Maybe Bonnie and Tyler's presence was making her uncomfortable.

I removed the pot and set it aside to cool. Tyler perched near Bonnie, watching me with dark eyes. I shifted uncomfortably.

In the trees I heard a wolf howling. It sang to the sky, a lonesome plaintive cry. After a while, another howl joined the first, the two voices mingling with one another. I felt a strange twinge of longing. I cupped my mouth and howled as best I could. Bonnie looked over and raised an eyebrow. Tyler seemed mildly amused by my attempt.

The wolves fell silent. I bit my lip, disappointed that I'd scared them off. After a moment they resumed, half a dozen more voices joining them in, howling back to me. I laughed softly. Bonnie's eyes widened. I howled at the sky and the chorus of wolves sang back to me. Tyler smiled, cupped his mouth and joined in. I closed my eyes, letting the sound wash over me. It felt right.

Gradually the sound of the wolves faded. I got up and checked the pot. The contents seemed cool enough so I poured it into the jar I'd brought from the house. I went to the cabin, knocked lightly on the door in case Eve was inside, and when I got no response I entered.

I put the jar on the table and scribbled a note explaining what needed to be done with it. I turned to leave and my eyes landed on the bed. It was in disarray, the sheets were hanging off and had been shredded in places. I frowned and approached slowly, circling around the bed.

Lying on the other side, almost completely hidden from sight, was Eve. Her body was spread eagled, half covered in the fallen bedsheets. Her arms were badly scratched and I could see where she had attempted to fend off her attacker from reaching her face and neck. One of her arms had been almost torn from her shoulder, only attached by a few strands of sinew and muscle. Her face was contorted into a horrific scream, there were several gaping bites on her throat and her eyes had been turned into a bloody pulp. Her stomach had been torn open, her organs visible and it looked like strips of her flesh had been eaten. I retched, trying to fight the vomit rising in my throat. A pool of blood surrounded her body with a trail of paw prints leading away from it and disappearing under the bed. They didn't come out the other side.

I backed away slowly, trying to remain calm. I moved towards the door, the wood creaking under my foot. A faint growl came from under the bed. I froze. From the darkness under the bed came the sound of claws raking against the wood. I took a few more steps, then bolted from the cabin. I heard a snarl and something hit the door. I held it closed and looked over to Bonnie and Tyler.

"We have to go. Right now!" I said, my voice quiet but frantic.

"Why? What's wrong?" Bonnie asked.

"Eve, the wolf girl, she's dead. And I'm fairly sure whatever did it is still in that cabin." I said, keeping my voice hushed so as to not provoke the creature that was lurking inside. The others got to their feet and grabbed their stuff. I heard growling from behind the door and a scrabbling on the other side. The wood at the base of the door began to splinter and I heard angry snarling from within.

"Yep, definitely in there…" I bit my lip, holding onto the door. "Sounds very angry."

"Right… hold the door, get ready to run." Tyler said. Bonnie raised her arms, ready to ward off whatever came out. Something thudded against the door and it shook. I pressed my hands against the door, moving my body as far away as I could without it opening.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

"Go."

I pushed off the door and ran. I heard wood snapping and shattering behind me but I dared not look back. I ran without really knowing where I was heading, just trying to gain ground between me and the animal.

My foot caught on something and I fell headlong, tumbling into the dirt. I winced, sitting up. One of my knees was bleeding badly. I wiped it away and stumbled up, looking around. I couldn't see anything except the dark silhouettes of trees around me. I listened, straining my ears for any sounds of my friends. Silence. Even the cicadas, usually an endless background chorus, had fallen quiet. It felt like this corner of the world had been cut off from everything else, leaving me alone in the darkness.

Somewhere nearby, a twig snapped. I peered through the trees and saw a glimpse of something dark moving in the shadows. I pressed myself against a tree, hoping that it wouldn't see me and would just pass by. My breathing was ragged and seemed incredibly loud to my ears.

Everything was still and silent except for my terrified heartbeat. Had it gone? I couldn't stay here, if it had gone passed it might come back and I would have missed my opportunity to get away. I took a deep breath and slowly peeked around the tree. The animal was stood there, its eyes locked on me. A whimper slipped from my lips.

It didn't move. I could barely see it, its fur blending down into the darkness around it. Only its eyes were visible, glowing eerily. I bit my lip and clenched my fists, trying to keep myself from trembling. We were trapped in our standoff, neither wanting to move first. His paw twitched, scratching lightly at the dirt.

I broke first. I threw out my hands, sending the animal flying backwards. I turned and sprinted as fast as I could. I could hear the animal crashing through the undergrowth behind me, the heavy panting as it ran. Something heavy collided with my back, knocking me down. I cried out. I could feel the weight of it on my back, the hot breath on my neck.

Suddenly the weight disappeared and I heard a startled yelp. I rolled onto my back and sat up. Two furious balls of fur were fighting nearby. It was impossible to tell where one ended and the next began, their fur mingling as one with only the occasional flash of fangs or claws.

I tried to get to my feet but my legs refused to cooperate. I guessed I'd hurt it more than I thought when I'd fallen. I crawled back, trying to get as much distance between the two warring creatures.

The larger one, picked up the smaller one in his mouth, jaws clamped around its throat, and hurled it against a tree. The hapless animal yelped and crumped at the base of the trunk. The large wolf advanced on him, fangs bared. I couldn't watch this. I threw myself forward, hooking my arms around his throat. I pulled back, tightening my grasp. The wolf thrashed, snapping at me angrily. It lunged forward abruptly at the other wolf, almost throwing me off. I realised it was more focused on attacking him than me. I grimaced and rammed my arm into its mouth to prevent it from biting. It sank it's fangs into my arm. I screamed in pain but forced myself to keep the limb in place, holding my other arm tight against its throat to prevent it from wriggling free.

I felt a searing burning sensation spreading through my arm unlike anything I'd ever felt before. It tore through my skin, setting me on fire. My arms trembled and the wolf bucked up, throwing me off. It circled round and came to stand over me, glaring down at me. My body was shaking furiously as every atom of my being blistered under the heat and pain of whatever was coursing through my veins.

I could still see, although my vision was distorted and faded, and I locked eyes with the wolf as it looked down at me. Saliva dripped from its fangs and its eyes were filled with pure anger. The pain became too much, overwhelming me and I could feel my body shutting down, succumbing to the toxins in my vein.


	21. Chapter XX

**A/N: Time for the answers to a very important question!**

* * *

I was trapped in my own head, seeing things that weren't really there and hearing voices. I felt like I was floating, somewhere between earth and a burning pit of fire. My skin felt tight, trapping me. I wanted to claw myself free. At times I thought I felt hands on my skin but I wasn't sure if they were real, if they were mine or someone else's.

It seemed to fade and I opened my eyes. I was in the house in Mystic Falls, in my bed. It looked just like I'd remembered but something seemed… off kilter. The light filtering in through the window was a little too bright. A vase of flowers sat on the window ledge, the petals a deep reddish purple, almost black in the right light. I sat up. I was dressed in a white nightdress and my stomach was flat. I ran my hands over my body, frowning. I'd grown accustomed to the gentle swell of it, that seeing myself without it felt unnatural. I got out of the bed and crept down the stairs. I wasn't sure why I was moving quietly but the house felt strange to me, unwelcoming. I felt like an intruder.

I came into the living room. Klaus was sitting by the fire, sketching. He looked up as I entered and smiled.

"Hello love. Did you sleep well?"

"I…" I felt confused. Our voices seemed to echo slightly around the space as though it was larger than it actually was.

"Are you okay love? You seem a little out of it?"

"I feel weird…" He frowned, concerned, and patted the space beside him. I sat down, looking around. "Where is everyone?"

"Who do you mean?"

"Kol… Elijah…"

"They're gone love, remember? They've been gone for a long time." I bit my lip.

"The twins…?" My hands automatically caressed my stomach.

"They're in the garden." He smiled. "Wreaking havoc I'm sure."

I frowned, my confusion growing. Klaus put down his sketchpad and helped me to my feet. He guided me out to the garden and we stood on the patio. He wrapped an arm around me and pointed across the grass. Two children were running around. As we watched, they turned to look at us. One was a little girl, with dark hair and dark eyes. The other was a young boy, who looked like a small version of Klaus.

"Mama!" They ran over to us. The little boy threw out his arms and wrapped them around me. I picked him up, still feeling that strange sense of something being wrong. The little boy nuzzled against me.

"Our perfect little family," said Klaus. He kissed my cheek. I looked at the little girl on the ground and felt the weight of the boy in my arms.

"No… this isn't right." Klaus' arms around me felt too tight, the air too warm and the light seemed even brighter. I felt a sharp pain in my throat and I looked down. The little boy looked up at me, my blood staining his lips. He smiled, revealing sharp hybrid fangs, his eyes turning yellow.

I screamed.

* * *

I woke up screaming. I was in a bed in an unfamiliar room. A chain was fastened around my ankle, attaching me to the bed. My hands immediately flew to my stomach and I let out a sigh of relief as I felt the comforting presence of my pregnant form.

"Hello? Anyone there?" I called out. The door opened and Klaus came in.

"Oh good, you're awake."

"Klaus. Why am I not surprised? You really need to get a new hobbie."

"Only I could be this diabolic love,"

"True. Would you care to explain why I am chained up in a bed that I really hope isn't yours?"

"It's not. And you're chained up because you were thrashing around and screaming and I was worried you'd hurt yourself"

"Oh, so now you're concerned about my wellbeing but when you were chasing me through the woods, knocking me to the floor multiple times and taking chunks out of my arm, that was all fine."

"In my defence, you stuck your arm in my mouth. It's hard not to bite something when it is forced into your mouth."

"No excuse for the other stuff though."

"I maintain that it was justified. If you hadn't run, I wouldn't have needed to hunt you."

"I was fleeing from a wild animal who killed my friend and who was eating a hole in a door to get to me. That's a perfectly natural response."

"Maybe I wouldn't have had to do those things if you'd just come with me when I asked you to. Or if you'd told me you were pregnant."

"I. Was. In. A. COMA. When I woke up, I had no idea what was going on and I couldn't reach any of you guys! I didn't know where you were, what you were doing. I didn't even know if you were alive or if Mikael had killed you!" I glared at him. "And to be honest, I was a little preoccupied with trying to regain my life and working out what the hell I was supposed to do upon waking up after months and suddenly being pregnant. Hunting down your immortal ass after you clearly couldn't be bothered to spend five minutes looking for me wasn't really a priority!" I slumped back on my pillows. "Why do you do this to me Klaus? Do you get off on me being miserable?"

"Of course not."

"Then why? Every time I'm even starting to feel remotely happy, every time things start to feel… good again, you swoop in like a dementor and suck away all the joy."

"I know I'm not a good man Elena. I'm jealous and angry. I embrace that. I won't lose you to my brothers, I won't give up what is rightfully mine."

"People aren't toys you can play with Klaus. And I will die before I let you use me or MY children." He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a knock at the door. It opened and a girl came in carrying a tray of food. It took me a minute to recognize her. She'd be working at the store, with the dark haired witch. The one who had been helping Marcel. I frowned.

"I heard shouting so I assumed she was awake?" the girl said softly. "I brought some food."

"Thank you," Klaus said stiffly.

"I was also instructed to examine her and ensure that there are no lasting side effects from the wolf venom in her system." She looked at Klaus pointedly. He raised an eyebrow. "Klaus, would you mind?"

"Why do I have to leave?"

"Because no woman wants a man, particularly one she clearly doesn't like, around when she's in a position of vulnerability. Please wait outside." Klaus scowled but reluctantly got to his feet and exited the room. The girl turned back to me and gave me a small, friendly smile.

"Thank you."

"It's alright." She perched on the edge of the bed. "How do you feel?"

"Shitty. But that's less to do with the werewolf bite and more to do with being chained to a guy's bed." I rattled my chain. She made a face.

"I asked him not to do that. I'll look into getting that taken off."

"Thanks…" I hesitated. "Surely if I reacted this badly to the wolf venom, it proves that the children can't be Klaus'? His kids wouldn't react to it would they?"

"That's true. However, it appears that only one of your children reacted to the venom."

"So… one of them is Klaus'? How is that possible?"

"It's rare but it happens. It's all a matter of timing. But actually, we performed a spell to determine the paternity and it appears that…" She bit her lip as if trying to work out how to tell me something difficult. "Your children don't match up to one father."

"You said."

"Or two. They match up with three fathers."

"What."

"Have you ever heard of a Chimera?"

"No… is that some other mythical creature that wants to kill me?"

"No. Well, yes it is a mythical creature but not in this respect. A chimera is when a single organism is formed of multiple zygotes. It usually happens with twins, two are conceived but they merge in utero. With yours it appears that you separately conceived three children by three different fathers and two merged into one."

"This sounds like science fiction mumbo jumbo."

"Unfortunately not. It's really rare but it does exist."

"So I'm pregnant with two children by three fathers? Am I getting this right?"

"Yes. It's called Heteropaternal Superfecundation."

"Bloody hell." I stared into space, coming to terms with what she'd said. "This is crazy." I paused. "Does Klaus know? That potentially he's only father to… half a child?"

"I tried to explain it to him but he still believes that he has a claim to the children."

"Jeeze, if every guy I've slept with decides they have a claim to my children I'm screwed."

The girl smiled slightly and got up.

"I should get back to work." She paused. "Elena?"

"Yes?"

"I know that you're probably very distressed but… please don't be too angry at Klaus. Not all of this is his fault." I frowned. Why did she care? Was she sleeping with him? Probably… not that I cared.

She reached over and took my hand. I felt something cool and round in her palm.

"Not every decision is easy. Some are hard and painful… but that doesn't make them bad decisions." She locked her eyes with me and I got the feeling she was trying to warn me of something without saying it. She let go of my hand, leaving the object behind. I slipped it under the bed covers. "We all have to do things we don't want to in order to spare the ones we love."

She left the room. I didn't have time to investigate the object before Klaus returned. He sat on the bed and reached over, unfastening the chain around my ankle.

"I appreciate that this isn't the best situation. But this is only temporary. Soon we'll be able to move away, settle down somewhere else."

"I don't want to go anywhere with you Klaus. I was happy with your brothers!"

"I'm offering you an olive branch here love. You'd be wise to accept it." I glared at him, summoning all my disgust and spat at him. He wiped his face and got to his feet, regarding me with a face of stone. I could sense his anger bubbling up but for once it seemed he was keeping it in check. His hand darted out fast as a striking snake and slapped me hard across the cheek. Before I had time to react, his hand had wrapped around my throat and lifted me from the bed, holding me up so my feet barely touched the floor.

"You will treat me with respect Elena. I have tried to be nice and you refused to accept it. I do not want to hurt you but do not mistake that reluctance for tolerance of your attitude." He hurled me to the floor. I curled up in a ball, pain radiating through my body.

"We're leaving the city as soon as they're born."

He left the room. I stayed on the floor, arms wrapped around myself. Everything hurt.

I crawled across the floor and slumped against the edge of the bed. I reached up, searching under the covers. My hand ran over the object that the girl had given me. I carefully pulled it out from under the covers and held it up. It was a small bottle, sealed with a cork, tinted green glass making it impossible to see the contents clearly. I examined it, wondering what it did. Maybe… would she…

I unstopped the bottle and sniffed. I wrinkled my nose at the bitter acrid smell that greeted me. I tipped the bottle slightly, letting a drop fall onto my finger. It hissed and singed the skin. Okay… so this was something that wasn't meant to be consumed. The smell was making me dizzy so I replaced the stopper and closed my eyes.

I sat on the floor, leaning against the bed and turned the vial over in my fingers. It was only a small dose. I didn't know if it was intended to kill me or just the children. Either way, this was a big decision. If it had just been my life on the line it wouldn't even be something to consider, I'd sacrifice myself to save the people I loved without a second thought. But could I actively murder my children?

If I didn't, I was condemning them to a life of being used by Klaus, turned into weapons… but I didn't know that for certain… for all I knew Klaus would be a great father…

The thought died in my head. Klaus might be a great father but he'd never change. He was selfish and jealous and possessive. He didn't want kids, he just wanted them because he felt like he was owed them. Like a spoilt child who saw a fancy toy. He wanted it so he had to have it.

I didn't know if I could do this. My own hatred of Klaus wasn't enough to condemn my children. But… I thought of the look on the young witch's face. She'd been warning me of something, something I didn't fully understand yet. She must have thought it was necessary or she wouldn't have risked Klaus' ire to give me this. Then again, she was a stranger. I had no reason to trust her.

"What do you think?" I asked, stroking my stomach. "I don't know what to do anymore."

As if in response, I felt another wave of pain crash through me. My cheek burned from where he'd slapped me. I felt like my body was answering my question. How could I risk letting my children be trapped with a man who clearly didn't give a damn about anything other than himself? If he cared about them, he wouldn't have attacked me. His actions only confirmed my suspicions. He didn't care about their well-being, just about possessing me, possessing them.

I got to my feet, wincing slightly, and went to the tiny window. It was dark outside, the full moon high in the sky. I'd been under for days it seemed… I was high up, looking down on what once must have been an ornamental garden but was now an overgrown wreck. I held the bottle up to the moonlight, as if toasting it.

"I'm sorry for this." I pulled out the cork and raised the bottle to my lips. I hesitated. Could I do this? I had to… I took a deep breath and downed the liquid. It burned my throat and I choked a little, coughing, but I forced myself to swallow it. I stared out of the window, waiting.

At first nothing happened. Then slowly, I felt it. A strange numbness began to radiate through my body. I had expected it to hurt but it felt like my body was fading away. The bottle slipped from my grasp, my fingers no longer responding. My legs gave way and I tumbled to the ground.

Now came the pain, a slow churning sensation in the pit of my guts. I coughed and felt something wet on my lips, salty on my tongue. I didn't need to look to know that it was blood. I closed my eyes and prayed that it would end quickly. I whispered my apology to the empty room, longing for the embrace of peaceful oblivion. I continued to cough, harsh, choking coughs, liquid bubbling up and spewing across my lips, the smell of blood filling the room. My lips twisted into a parody of a smile. Finally I would be free.

* * *

 **A/N: THE END.**


	22. Note

**A/N: I don't like interrupting my stories in the middle for a note but for the sake of my sanity and my inbox, I have to say: IT WAS A JOKE. No that is not the end of the story, please stop sending me angry messages. There will be more as soon as I can be bothered to write it (which is not currently a I'm depressed and sleep deprived). Please stop sending me angry messages, my crappy fanfiction is not worth getting upset over!**


	23. Chapter XXI

**A/N: For Elena Mikaelson**

* * *

 _The smell of blood pervaded the corridors. Sitting by the fire, the hybrid massaged his temples and stared contemplatively into the flames. His nose twitched, the familiar scent of blood stirring his stomach. He disregarded it at first, too lost in his own thoughts, but as the scent grew stronger he lifted his head and fully registered the implications. He got to his feet and headed down the corridor, following his nose. As he walked, a sense of dread began to settle in the pit of his stomach. His footsteps slowed as he came to the door where the scent was strongest._

" _No…" Surely she wouldn't… she wouldn't do that. Something stirred inside him that he'd not felt for a long time._

 _He heard a low rattling cough from inside the room and the stench grew stronger. He darted to the door, drawing the key from his pocket, hands fumbling as he hurriedly sort to fit it in the lock. As quick as he moved, he dreaded what he might find on the other side and almost feared to open it, to confirm what he suspected._

 _The door swung open. Pale moonlight shone through the narrow window, illuminating the body on the floor in shades of black and silver. She was curled up, one arm loosely wrapped around her stomach, the other outstretched beside her. A bottle lay discarded on the ground, just out of reach of her slim fingers. Her eyes were open and she stared out of the window, the ghost of a smile on her lips. She might have been lost in some pleasant daydream._

 _At first he didn't see the blood. It was nearly invisible on the wooden floor, but as he drew nearer to her, he felt the moisture under his foot and faltered. He crouched down, his own fingers skimming across the dampened wood. He lifted them to his nose, already knowing the scent that would greet him. The scent that he both despised and treasured above all._

 _He reached for the girl, turning her onto her back. Her lips were painted crimson, the crude lipstick making her almost doll like. He shouted down the corridor, not caring who came to aid him. Under the stony surface, he felt something. It wasn't strong but it was insistent and he struggled to recall the word. He'd existed in shadows for so long, as if he was separated from the world, viewing it through glass. Now, echoes of emotion were awakening in him as he looked down at the girl, lying limp before him._

 _He didn't know what to do, so he simply cradled her against him. He felt warmth on his cheek, tears running down to mar the eerie beauty of her face. He murmured sweet emptiness to her, promises she could not hear and that he doubted she would believe. One hand swept the gentle curves of her side, over the silk taut on her stomach. Was he too late? Had he lost them all? He could bear the loss if only she, she who he prized in his heart above all and who he had allowed to take possession of the thing he kept most guarded, was returned to him. There would be no other She for him._

 _The woman came to him and placed a firm hand on his shoulder. He felt the tears dry up, the sorrow in his heart retreating once more and instead the burning embers of hatred and rage sparked into life. How dare she do this? How dare she try to take them from him?_

 _The woman lifted the girl from his arms. He resisted instinctively, clinging to her like an errant child whose favourite toy had been stolen from him. The woman gave him a stern look and he relented, allowing the girl to be taken. She was laid on the bed and the woman brushed her hair back in what one might mistake as a tender act. The woman closed her eyes and held her hands over the girl's body, murmuring to herself. For a moment there was nothing but silence, only the faintest flutter of a heartbeat reaching his ears, stilted and irregular. Then the girl let out a strangled gasp, her body vaulting from the bed, before returning to her motionless state._

" _Will she live?" He whispered._

" _I have made it so her body will reject the poison and expel the damage done. However, there is a risk she may choke on her own vomit. I suggest you keep an eye on her until the worst has passed."_

 _He ran a finger over the girl's arm, his face softening at the feel of her skin against his._

" _I can't lose her. I'll give up anything for her to live. Even them." The woman turned sharply and struck him hard across the face._

" _Don't say that. They are what matter. She is just a body, a carrier. If she dies, it is her own fault." He hung his head. The woman lifted his chin. "Do not be saddened child. I promise that they will all live and you will have the family you deserve."_

 _The woman returned to the bed and gently placed three fingers on the girl's forehead. The girl's face screwed up as if in great pain and her body stiffened. Her veins momentarily turned black, some dark enchantment flowing through her veins. The woman leant down and murmured in her ear, too softly for the words to be heard by anyone but the girl._

" _Rest barn og draumur friði. Dögun mun koma aðeins skuggum til þín."_

* * *

I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw was Klaus' face. He was glaring at me.

"Why am I still alive…?" I rasped.

"Because I'm not willing to let you die." He was barely keeping his temper under control, his fists clenching and unclenching. "Really Elena? Suicide? I expected better of you than a cheap cop out like that."

"Forgive me for not embracing my prison sentence just yet."

"Do not push me Elena, you have no idea what I am capable of"

"I know exactly what you're capable of and it doesn't scare or impress me. It just makes me hate you even more." We lapsed into silent, both of us glaring at one another. "But since you're alive and conscious, I suppose we can move on and I'll deal with this issue later. I need to introduce you to a friend of mine. She has been most instrumental in my retrieving you."

"Oh goodie. A friend of Klaus'. I can't wait." He gritted his teeth and swept out of the room. I huffed and glared at the ceiling. I didn't even feel bad. There was no trace of what I'd done. The blood was gone, although I noticed a bowl on the table filled with several cloths, stained red.

I got to my feet. I was in clean clothes and despite the poison I felt good… amazing in fact. It was… bizarre. I stood by the window and rested my hands on my stomach.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I was trying to do what was right…"

Nothing. No flutter in my stomach, no twinge of pain in a way to influence my actions. I felt like my children were sulking. I rolled my eyes.

"Fine. Be angry."

At that, I felt a sharp twinge. Oh right, they were definitely sulking.

I sat on the edge of the bed, wondering who this friend of his was. I didn't think he had any friends. I wondered how the others were. Were they looking for me? They had to know I was missing…

I thought back to the day I'd been taken. The house had been so quiet… I hadn't thought much of it then, but maybe something had happened to them. Could I find out?

I closed my eyes. I wasn't sure what I was doing, I just wanted to try and find out. Maybe I could have another out of body experience or vision? That would be helpful right now.

Nothing.

"Really? I know you're mad at me but this is about making sure that your fathers are okay." God that felt weird to say out loud. I still couldn't wrap my head around the idea that my children had three daddies. "Cut me some slack."

Still nothing.

Why was I talking to my bump? I knew that babies were meant to be able to hear things and mine clearly already had minds of their own but it wasn't like they were actually going to do anything. Even so, I waited, just in case. No. It looked like they were withholding their powers. Or I was giving my failure to cast magic way more meaning than it actually had.

The door opened and Klaus came in with the blonde witch.

"Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness you know love."

"This prison isn't exactly brimming with conversation opportunities." I glanced over his shoulder. "Is that why you've brought your girlfriend along?" Klaus scoffed.

"She's far from my girlfriend. And no, this is business not pleasure." He produced an empty bottle, green tinted glass. "This usually holds a very powerful poison. Werewolf venom, vervain, nightshade, wolfs bane. It kills most things. It's kept locked up in a very secure box belonging to my friend. You haven't left this room. So how did it come to be in here?"

"I found it," I lied.

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"Do you know what I think?"

"I honestly don't care."

"I think someone gave you this. And I know it wasn't me. And it certainly wasn't any of my hybrids. Which leaves my young friend. Tell me the truth. I won't hurt her."

"I don't quite believe you…"

We locked eyes, neither of us speaking. I searched for something in his eyes, something that might indicate the man I used to care about was still in there. His eyes were blank, like the soul had been erased.

I broke the stare down, unable to look at those vacant eyes for any longer. I glanced at the girl who was stood slightly behind Klaus, looking at her feet. She didn't seem afraid of him, merely resigned. I suppose she must have known she would be blamed when I was discovered, she had probably moved past fear and into acceptance.

"He's telling the truth," said a calm voice. I looked up and saw the dark haired witch, Marcel's witch. "He will not harm her. I on the other hand, make no such promise."

"Elena, I should introduce you to my friend."

"We've met," I said. "Although last time I saw her, she was very much not on your side."

"Oh she's always been on my side. In fact, she was the one who notified me of the existence of the little miracles."

"A double agent. How original." I was silently kicking myself. Of course Klaus would have sent someone to infiltrate. I should have seen it coming. "I suppose since I'm trapped here I should get your name? I don't think you've actually been formally introduced."

"You are remarkably civil for someone in your position," she noted.

"I'm used to it. After a while it loses some of its sting." That was a lie. Yes, I got easier at faking it but every time I woke up in an unfamiliar place I feared that it would be the last place I saw, that I would never see the familiar faces of my family again.

"That is certainly an interesting way to look at it." She offered her hand. "My name is Dahlia."

* * *

 **A/N: So I'm still mentally planning my sequel (this story has become somewhat sour for me so i'm using the prospect of a fresh one to keep me sane) and originally i had planned for Klaus to be the antagonist of that one. However i know a lot of you are wanting cute moments between Elena and the originals so would you rather that it be Klaus antagonist or that i use a different male character in his place (i'm thinking Lucien?). I'm asking now because obviously i need to gear this story so the next one fits.**


	24. Chapter XXII

"Hello Dahlia." I gave an obviously forced smile. "Can I ask why you're assisting this immortal pain in the ass?"

"She's very familiar with you Niklaus," she mused. I groaned softly. I'd only heard a handful of people use his full name and they all shared one important trait.

"Well, there's my answer." I looked between the two of them. "Family first, right?"

"Smart too," she commented.

"She can hear you, you know." I snapped, before fixing my eyes on Klaus. "So, is she… your mother? Is that what you've sunk to? Getting mommy to clear up your messes for you."

"She's not my mother," Klaus said. "I would sooner tear open my own throat than work with that manipulative psychotic witch." He glanced at the two witches. "No offense."

"Psychotic? That's rich…" I muttered. "If she's not your mother, who is she? She looks a little old to be your sister."

"None taken, I'm sure" said the woman.

"I don't bother with politeness towards kidnappers. A fact Klaus can testify to."

"She certainly can be a devil with that tongue of hers when she wants to be." He said softly, reclining against a wall. I ignored him.

"What's the answer then?"

"I'm his aunt. And I must applaud you Elena, for dispatching my sister's brutish husband."

"Not a fan of Mikael? No wonder you and Klaus get along." I turned my focus on the young blonde witch. "When we first met you said she was your aunt. Was that a lie or are you part of this crazy family as well?"

"It wasn't a lie. Although sometimes I wish it was," she said. Dahlia glared at her and I saw the young girl visibly flinch. "My name is Freya."

"Freya is my sister Elena." Klaus said.

"And you've not stuck her in a coffin yet? That's got to be a record."

"You are just so chatty today Elena, I honestly think I prefer you unconscious."

"I think I prefer it too. It's better than being part of whatever twisted family reunion thing you've got going on here. So by all means, please go ahead."

"Well if you dislike us so much, why don't you throw us out with your magic hand wave and send us crashing into a dumpster?" Klaus suggested.

"You landed in a dumpster? That's great, I wasn't even aiming!" I couldn't help feeling the tiniest bit smug about that. "But for the record, I can't currently blast you out of the room as much as I would like to. These children clearly take after you because they are having a bit of a temper tantrum and not letting me access their magic."

"Not even born and they're already disobeying you. This bodes well for motherhood."

"Klaus I may not be able to jedi force blast you out of the room but I will slap you."

"I am terrified."

"Maybe we should leave Elena to rest?" Freya suggested. "Stress isn't good for her."

"Indeed but she's still not answered the question of this," Klaus held up the bottle. "Has my big sister been slipping you things you shouldn't?"

"Nope." I lay back on the bed, closed my eyes and resolved not to speak. I wasn't going to get Freya into trouble for trying to help me.

In my head, I saw Kol's face, the night that I'd run and that Klaus and Elijah had beaten me. The fear that I would reveal his secret and the awakening warmth as I defended him.

" _You didn't tell them it was me." His words disarmed me as they came completely out of nowhere and left me more confused than I'd been before. Was that his reason?_

 _"Huh?" I frowned._

 _"When they asked who helped you to escape. You didn't tell them it was me. You could have. You had every reason to. In fact you probably should have. I mean, I would have understood if you had. They would have gone easy on you if you had told them; they weren't lying when they said they'd half your punishment. But you didn't say anything." His tone almost became accusing, as if he suspected me of playing some sort of trick on him by not telling them. Just like I'd thought he was trying to trick me by letting me go and by bringing me up here. Funny that; looked like we had more in common than I'd originally thought._

I heard the door open and close, so I assumed that they'd all left. I opened my eyes. Klaus was still sitting there, watching me.

"Are you planning on staying there?"

"Yes."

"For how long?"

"Well maybe the remainder of your pregnancy if it ensures no more incidents."

"I won't Klaus, don't worry. You've successfully stripped every bit of control I have over my life."

"I don't think that's true."

"You control where I live, what I do, who is in my life, and what happens to my children," He looked at me with dark eyes. I sighed. "Look, I'm sorry for how I reacted when you showed up. It was wrong of me to immediately deny you access. But Klaus, I was scared. I still am. This whole situation is terrifying. I'm still a kid and now I'm suddenly meant to be responsible for children? I don't know anything about kids!" I looked down. "I just wanted to protect them and… I thought that I could do that better without you around."

"I appreciate that I have the tendency to draw antagonism," he admitted.

"But you were right too. They're your family and you should be part of their lives." He smiled slightly and I held up a hand. "But so are Kol and Elijah. And they deserve to know their children. Please Klaus, we can leave here. We can go home, we'll be a family. All of us. But if you keep me here against my will, I will have no choice but to fight back. I will not allow my children to be raised into captivity."

He turned away, head down. I was almost hopeful, it looked like my words had had an impact on him. He didn't speak, instead he silently left the room. I sighed. Clearly he wasn't going to be any help to me.

I got up and went to the window, looking down. I needed to get out and get somewhere safe. I had to make sure the others were okay.

Klaus had mentioned hybrids, so I assumed there were some dotted around the building, but he'd not mentioned any other witches so hopefully I would only have to deal with Freya and Dahlia. I didn't anticipate Freya stopping me but Dahlia would be a problem, particularly if I couldn't use my own my magic to help me.

"I'm going to get us out of here," I whispered. "But I'll need your help, okay? You guys have to help me on this." Nothing. "Please. I want to get you back to our family."

I just hoped when I needed the magic it would be there. I wasn't going to try and leave until night time. I figured at that point, Klaus and Dahlia would go to bed and then there'd just be whatever hybrids he had on guard. I didn't think they'd be much of an issue. With my magic, it'd be easy enough to dispatch them. Without it, it'd be slightly more difficult, particularly as I didn't have any weapons. I just hoped my strange wolf connection would work on them.

My other issue was that I had no idea where I was in relation to the exit. I had no idea what this building even was. If I did manage to get out, I wasn't sure where in New Orleans the building was, if it even was in the city. With every passing moment my escape plan was seeming less and less plausible but I refused to let that get to me. I had to try at least.

I returned to the bed and sat to wait, deciding it was best to rest up for the night's activity. I closed my eyes and tried to create a fantasy for myself. I saw myself back in the house in Mystic Falls. In my mind they were all there. Elijah was sitting by the fireplace, reading the paper. Klaus was painting. Finn was sitting in contemplation. Kol, sat on the rug, with a young girl sat on his lap. My daughter? Rebekah was sitting with him, helping to brush the girl's hair. I smiled fondly to myself. One day it would be true. Hopefully one day very soon if I had my way.

* * *

I stayed carefully locked in my fantasy world, refusing to acknowledge the real world until the sun had set and then I waited until I felt that it was late enough to risk my escape. I got up and took a moment, looking out at the window. I steeled myself, preparing myself for what I was going to do. Unlike the other night when I'd drank the poison, I felt nervous. I'd not felt any nerves that night. I guess the difference was I'd not really been risking anything before. With the poison, I'd accepted death. In my mind, there was nothing that could be done to hurt me. But this, this was worse. I'd chosen life and that was far scarier to me.

I went to the door and carefully tried the handle. It was locked. I grimaced, momentarily disheartened, before realising that I'd never seen a lock stop a vampire before. I took firm hold of the handle and twisted it sharply. It gave a satisfying snap and the handle came free, leaving a small hole in the door. I pushed it open and hesitantly stepped out into the open hall. It was long and didn't look like any sort of house that I'd ever been in. It had a sort of familiarity to it and it took me a minute to realize that it was a hospital. It was very old and appeared abandoned, although here and there I saw updates that were clearly recent. I guessed that they had been put in by Klaus. The door to my room had been a recent addition.

I crept down the corridor. It was pitch black, only the occasional weak beam of moonlight filtering in through a handful of open doors. I moved silently, one arm outstretched, my fingertips brushing against the walls in an attempt to guide myself. There was a smell in the air, a damp emptiness that seemed to have permeated the bricks. I was hoping I'd find a sign that would indicate which way to head but there was nothing, so I just decided to head down. I knew I was a few floors up, based on my view from the window.

I turned a corner and stumbled into a large open ward. There was a makeshift fire in the centre, almost burned out but offering enough light to make out most of the room. There were old rusted bedframes pushed to the edges of the room, piled on top of each other. Stretched out beside the fire was an object and at first glance I mistook it for a bundle of blankets or something similar. As I drew closer I realised it was a figure, lying on their side. I squinted, trying to discern the features in the flickering fire light. Klaus.

I retreated, half expecting him to turn and attack me. He didn't move. I circled around, keeping my distance but moving until I could see his face. He was asleep, eyes closed and face oddly peaceful. I felt a pang of longing as I looked at him.

I shook myself and left the room, entering another seemingly endless, identical corridor. I eventually found a staircase and descended gratefully. The lower floor seemed even darker. The moonlight that had filtered through the windows above were blocked by overgrown trees, the little light that did make it in cast skeletal shadows that made me feel like hands were reaching out for me.

I swiftly located the next staircase, mere feet from the first. I guessed that they were in the central area with the wards in the three wings that lead off it and eventually I'd reach the ground floor where hopefully the door would be opposite the staircase.

As I reached the bottom step of this staircase and went to step onto the ground below, I realised that there was something lying on the ground. I froze. There was a large black dog stretched out in front of the step. My eyes swept the room and I spotted several more similar looking animals dotted around the space. At first glance I thought they were dogs but I knew it was more likely they were wolves, although I couldn't confirm that in the limited light. They seemed to all be asleep and if I was quiet I could probably just walk around them… but it was very hard to actually make out where they were, their fur blending into the floor.

I carefully climbed over the first dog and inched my way towards the next staircase, moving slowly and stopping every few steps to carefully examine the space ahead. I drew near to the top of the stairs, my breathing getting steadily quicker as I feared that my slow progress would lead to my discovery. I knew Klaus was upstairs but it wouldn't take him long to reach me if he was made aware of my escape. I didn't know where in this huge place Dahlia and Freya might be lurking. I was close to the next staircase. One of the wolves yawned and rolled over. I decided to risk a dash to the stairs.

I tensed and sprinted for the staircase, trying to keep my footsteps as soft as possible. My foot came down and the second it made contact with the ground, I knew that I'd miscalculated. Almost invisible, tucked against the wall was another wolf. Its body was curled up but its tail was spread out across the floor. My foot made contact with the tail and the wolf vaulted up, letting out a startled pained yelp. It lifted its head, searching for the culprit and its eyes found me. It let out a loud growl, ripping through its body. The sound echoed around the room and the other animals stirred, beginning to get to yawn and open their eyes. They spotted me quickly and the pack of them gathered in front of me, forming a loose semi-circle. I took a step back, arms outstretched.

"D…don't attack…" I said, trying to keep my voice calm. They didn't growl. They didn't make any noise at all. They just stared at me. I rubbed the pad of my thumb against my palm, trying to keep myself calm. I silently willed the magic to come to me in case I needed to defend myself. The small wolf, the one whose tail I'd stepped on, moved first, darting forward in a mock attack. I jerked reflexively and stepped back. My foot slipped on the top step and I felt a sickly feeling in the pit of my stomach as I felt myself falling. My body bounced off the stairs, tumbling down, and I landed on the floor below.

I lay there, dazed and sore. My head turned slightly and I saw the large main door. I'd got so close…

I was aware of soft footsteps and the wolves came to my side, circling around me. One of the wolves stepped forward and sniffed at me, its muzzle lightly pressing against my belly for a second, before pulling back. As it did, a pain rippled through my stomach and I felt a strange dampness running down my legs. The pain died and then mere moments later it started again, the pattern repeating in this pattern of pain and relief, pain and relief. The wolves seemed agitated, their fur ruffled and eyes wide. One began to howl, than another joined in until they were all howling around me. I closed my eyes, clawing at the floorboards around me in an attempt to distract myself from the waves of pain.

What was going on?!

I heard louder footsteps and the next thing I knew, Klaus was crouched beside me.

"Elena!" I looked into his eyes. Swirls of yellow were visible in them, in a way that I'd not seen before. He looked scared and concerned and I felt a rush of warmth towards him. There he was, the man I knew and had cared for. I'd begun to worry that he was lost to me. I reached up and touched his cheek. "Are you okay?"

"I… I don't know… it hurts… ahh…"

"I'm going to make it go away Elena, okay? I'm going to make sure you're alright." He reared to his feet. "FREYA!"

I heard the frantic sound of Freya's footsteps and moments later she joined us.

"What is going on?" he asked.

"I… I think she's in labour."

"No!" I whimpered. "Too soon!"

"Elena, like it or not, you are in labour," she told me. She turned to Klaus. "We should get her into her bed."

Klaus went to lift me and another wave of pain hit me. I screamed. The wolves snarled and snapped at him and he recoiled sharply.

"We may have to rethink moving her," he said, looking startled by the actions of his wolves. Freya looked at the wolves and nodded.

"Okay, she's having the twins here then." She rolled up her sleeves. "Klaus, fetch towels. And get the cooler with the blood. She might need it."

Freya removed my underwear and carefully separated my legs. I stared up at the ceiling, letting out howls of pain that were echoed by the wolves. They stayed at my sides, forming a warm barrier around me. I gripped hold of their fur, finding it comforting in some strange way. Freya examined me, her hands cool on my heated skin.

Klaus returned with a pile of towels and knelt beside me, shuffling as close as the wolves would allow.

"We should call Dahlia," he said.

"No. I studied medicine Klaus, I can do this. At the rate these babies are coming, they'll be here before she'd have time to get here."

"Klaus…" I whimpered, my hand seeking him out. "It hurts…"

"I know… there's nothing I can do Elena." He squeezed my hand. "I'm here, hold on."

It was like nothing I'd ever felt before. I felt exhausted and I just wanted it to be over although something told me it had barely begun. The door the hospital blew open with a loud bang. I turned my head and saw more wolves gathered there. They came over and joined the first group, who gave them a warning growl. Freya and Klaus shared a nervous look, clearly unnerved by their arrival. The wolves around me pawed and licked at me gently, each touch seemed to alleviate a little of my pain and my cries faded a little.

"Klaus I'm going need your help down here," Freya said.

"No… don't…" I whimpered, reluctant to let go of him. He gave me a sympathetic smile and released my hand, moving around to join Freya. I kept my eyes locked on the ceiling, focusing on my breathing.

"Elena, you need to push for me, okay?"

I tried. I felt like all the energy was being sapped from my body leaving me drained and limp.

"I can't do it! I can't!"

"Elena, listen to me," Klaus said. "You are strong, you can do this. You are the girl who challenges hybrids and fights vampires, you can do this I promise you!"

I let out a strangled cry, trying to push. Surely it wasn't meant to hurt this badly? Something had to be wrong!

"You're doing great," Freya assured me. "Just a little bit more. Two more. Come on."

It was all too much. I found myself longing for some relief. Anything to end this.

A shrill scream pierced the air and I vaulted upright at the sound. Freya took a towel and carefully wrapped it around the tiny pink bundle in her arms. The infant screeched.

"Klaus, do you have a knife?" she asked. Klaus pulled out a penknife and Freya helped him cut the cord. She turned to me and smiled. "You've got a little girl Elena."

I reached out for her but Freya pulled back.

"Please…"

"I know you want to hold her but you still have work to do. Let's bring her little brother or sister out shall we?"

I felt tears of frustration and exhaustion in my eyes but nodded. I could do this, I had to do this. Freya handed the baby to Klaus and her cries faded. The pain, which had died down, began up again. I pushed.

The second came easier than the first. A few pushes and I heard a cry, weak but unmistakable. I slumped down, burying my face into the fur of a nearby wolf. Klaus and Freya cut the cord and wrapped the second child. Freya moved round to my side and I felt her hand on my arm.

"Elena, do you want to meet your daughters?" I looked up at her. Klaus carefully placed the two tiny infants into my arms. I looked down at my children. They looked back up at me, eyes bleary and unfocused. One was larger than the other, with a patch of dark hair on her head and two wide deep brown eyes. The other was far smaller, skin slightly paler, with only a few sparse blonde hairs on her head. Her eyes were closed but as I looked down, they opened slowly and I let out soft gasp. Her eyes were different colours, one brown, the other a blue-green colour. I smiled to myself and held them close. I didn't speak, there was nothing to say. I just closed my eyes, letting my exhausted body rest. I silently promised myself that I would never let anything harm my children. I was strong, I would take care of them and protect them.

Around me, the wolves began a chorus of howls, soft and almost melancholic, their voices mingling into a beautiful song that I felt was their way of celebrating what come to pass.


	25. Chapter XXIII

I remained at the base of the stairs, surrounded by resting wolves and Klaus who sat beside me. He had taken off his shirt and carefully bundled it behind me as a makeshift pillow. I held my two little girls in my arms, now both asleep, unable to really believe that they were here. After all of this, I found it hard to wrap my mind that these little girls were my daughters.

"They're perfect Elena," Klaus told me, kissing my cheek.

"Yes they are." I smiled down at them. "Did… did you want to hold one?" His face brightened and nodded eagerly. I carefully passed the blonde baby over to him and he cradled her carefully.

"Have you thought about any names?" Freya asked, perching on the step. Klaus looked at me expectantly.

"I… I was thinking Lilah? And Blair?" He considered and nodded.

"I like it. Which one is which?" I looked down at the baby in my arms.

"This one is a Blair. And that little one seems like a Lilah." I kissed Blair on the forehead. "I also thought Isabel and Alexia as middle names?"

"Lilah Alexia Mikaelson?" He lifted up the tiny blonde baby and smiled at her. "And Blair Isabel Mikaelson."

"Interesting choices." I looked up and saw Dahlia standing nearby, watching us. The wolves growled softly. She cast her eyes over them and they fell silent. "May I ask why you're down here of all places?"

"I was… sleep walking," I lied. "I fell down the stairs."

"Hmm…" I could tell she didn't believe me. I didn't care. She forced a bright smile. "Let's get you back to bed. Niklaus, would you?"

Klaus handed Lilah to Freya, who also took Blair from my arms. I suppressed a whimper as the child was removed. Klaus carefully picked me up, adjusting me until I was seated comfortably in his arms.

"My legs work you know." I said.

"You just gave birth Elena, you are entitled to take it easy for a few days." Klaus told me, his tone teasing but firm.

"He's right. You should rest for a few days. In the meantime, Freya, bring the children. We have much to prepare."

"P… prepare?" I frowned. I didn't like her tone and the hungry look in her eyes as she ran them over the twins in Freya's arms. "Prepare for what?"

"For the ritual. Didn't Klaus tell you?"

"Tell… tell me what?" I twisted in his arms to fix my eyes on Klaus. "What is she talking about?"

"I have no idea…"

"Having a lapse in memory dear? Well, Elena, essentially I own your children. My dear sister, Esther, was unfortunately unable to conceive so she made a deal with me… I am entitled to take the first born child of every generation of the Mikaelson line." She reached out and gently stroked Freya's cheek. "Like my little Freya." She turned her gaze to my twins. "And I really hit the jackpot with you. The firstborns of three of my nephews? That's more than I ever could have expected given their circumstances."

"You're not touching my children," I snarled, wriggling out of Klaus' arms. "I don't care what some stupid deal from a million years ago says!"

"I second that!" Klaus snarled, eyes turning yellow. "I agreed to work with you because you said you would get my child back. If I'd known about this, I would have torn your insane head off."

"You seem to be under the illusion that you have a choice, Niklaus. Your mother was so desperate to breed with that filthy Viking that she didn't think of the consequences. Well now you have to face them. These children are owed to me and I am taking what is mine." Klaus growled and lunged for Dahlia. She raised her hand and he collapsed to the floor, clutching his head. She glared at him, flexing her fingers and watching him twitch and convulse in pain. Blood dripped from his nose. Lilah stirred in Freya's arms and began to cry. The wolves woke at the sound and growled, clearly distressed by the sound. One took a step towards her, fangs bared. Her eyes flickered to the animal and a minute shudder ran through her. Her other arm shot out and the wolves were flung to the side of the room. Most of them yelped and darted for the door. A few, angry at the attack, tried to lunge for her but found themselves prevented by some invisible force.

Dahlia turned her focus back to Klaus, curled up on the floor. She clenched her fist. His body convulsed and I heard bones cracking.

"Up." He moved stiffly onto his knees, his actions robotic and resistant. "You have no say in this Niklaus. This was decided long before you were born." She pointed two fingers and moved them in a beckoning gesture. He crawled forward. "If you are going to behave like an animal, than that's what you shall be."

The yellow in Klaus' eyes seemed to spread like ink on water until they were almost completely covered, except for a slit of pupil that remained.

His body jerked backwards violently and he let out a scream as his limbs were contorted into painful angles. His shoulder blades ripped through his skin and it wasn't blood that flowed from the wounds, but thick black ooze that let off an acrid stench. It dripped down his back and I thought I heard the skin sizzling as though the substance was eating into it like acid. His limbs continued to jerk abruptly, the bones visibly rearranging themselves under the skin. His leg shot out an impossible angle and he howled as it twitched and twisted.

A tremor ripped through his body and he fell forward onto all fours. His skin bulged and sank around his ribcage as they shifted around his torso. I let out a soft gasp. His head turned slightly and eyes locked on me. He tried to get to his feet but his legs refused to support him. He shuffled awkwardly, one arm reaching out to me, the other hanging limply at his side. He tried to lift his leg to move a little further but his leg locked in place. His fingers gripped my leg and the look of pain in his face broke my heart.

"Stop this!" I demanded. Dahlia raised an eyebrow, her expression one of mild amusement and ignored me. His pants ripped and I felt like I was going to vomit. His body was twisted into a horrific shape, his spine distended. His fingers seemed to mesh together, merging into a fleshy lump. The changes were happening faster now, unfaltering as each part of his body in turn was subjected to the torture. His screams were continuous, tears streaming down his cheeks. He thrashed as his body was contorted one way and another. Hair began to fall from his head in clumps.

I could barely recognize him. His limbs were splayed awkwardly, his head was balding, his skin stretching and tearing. As I watched, his hands, or what remained of them, began to split, slowly taking the shape of paws. Sharpened bones poked out at random points, curling like claws. His feet also began to fuse and change, taking on the paw like appearance. His hair had completely gone now and the skin began to break apart. I stared in horror as a jagged tear appeared down the centre of his skull and the skin peeled up.

Hair began to sprout along his spine, short like fur rather than hair. It spread until his entire lower half was covered in a tawny brown covering and continued onwards. The skin on his head was still peeling off, down to his neck. It clung on but there was no life to it, it looked like rubber. He whined and shook his head. The skin fell away, like a Halloween mask being ripped away. Underneath, the same tawny fur grew.

He began to awkwardly claw at his head, his clumsy paws tearing at the skin that remained until it fell in tatters. His ears fell away and were replaced by two pointed canine ones.

His jaw began to stretch, his teeth grew to sharp fangs that barely fit into his mutilated mouth. His skin pulled back, exposing the carnage in his mouth as I bit into his own gums. He spat blood, choking on it.

"He…h…..heeeelll" The word was a groan, his tongue lazy in his deformed, unfinished muzzle and unable to form the words properly.

The few bones that remained in their original places began shifting and fusing, the last pieces in a horrific jigsaw puzzle. His arms became clamped to his side, restricting his already limited movement to next to nothing. His neck grew, extending a little and thickening. It stiffened into place, holding his head up in an unnatural arched position.

He let out another scream but all that came out was an agonized howl. He let out a series of barks and snarls and I got the sense that he was trying to call for help. The animal was taking over, stealing his voice and taking his mind.

Slowly, it felt like years had passed as I watched him, his human body disappeared and the wolf emerged. Yet there was something… wrong. He was larger than any normal wolf but his proportions were off, his body awkwardly put together. The layer of fur barely covered his misshapen muscles and his jaw seemed to be locked in a twisted half smile, his fangs too large for his muzzle.

He turned and looked at Dahlia. For a second it looked like he might attack her, his body rigid and his hackles raised. Then slowly, his body relaxed and he took on a submissive pose, head down, body low to the ground.

"I despise wolves…" Dahlia muttered, eyeing him with disdain. "It didn't have to be this way Niklaus. If you had behaved yourself…" Her eyes turned to me. "Niklaus, escort Elena back to her room."

He turned sharply and snarled at me, snapping at my ankles and forcing me up the stairs. I stumbled, trying to avoid his fangs. I looked back at Freya, holding my babies and felt tears in my eyes, half reaching out for them. Klaus growled and rammed his oversized head against my ankles, knocking me over. He moved over me, a low growl ripping through him.

"Okay!" I shoved his head away, not caring if he bit me. "I'm going!" I got to my feet and reluctantly retreated up the stairs. He tailed me upstairs and down the corridor to my room. I stopped in front of the door and turned sharply.

"Klaus, I don't care what she's done to you. You have to still be in there… you know that this isn't right! Those children are innocent!"

He watched me, and turned his head away as if ashamed. I sighed and retreated into the bedroom. The door closed behind me. I looked round at the room that had become my prison. I felt a sudden surge of hate. I grabbed the bedside table and hurled it against the wall. The wood shattered. I flipped over the bed, screaming in anger. My children's blood was still in my body and it seemed to intensify the rage within me.

I rampaged around the room, destroying everything I could in an attempt to quell the fury. Eventually though I reached the point where there was nothing left to destroy and as I stared at the damage I had done I felt like all my energy deserted me. I sank to the floor, on top of the mattress. Everything hurt and I felt exhausted. Tears began to flow, coming thick and fast. Would I ever see my girls again? After everything I'd gone through, now they were here and it looked like I was going to lose them…

I curled up into a ball and sobbed into a blanket. It wasn't supposed to be like this. They weren't meant to be born in this crumbling hospital and stolen by a wicked witch. They should have been born at home, and be brought up surrounded by their family… my family.

Since my parents had died, I'd never really liked my life. There were good bits, but mostly it had been one disaster after another. I'd dealt with it, because what else could I do? This was the first time I actively hated who I was.

I stared absently at a candle, discarded on the floor. I felt so alone. Would I see the Mikaelsons again? Or would I die here? in this… dank… dark… hospital? I shivered and wrapped the blanket tight around myself.

The shrivelled wick of the candle smoked and caught alight. I looked at the flickering flame without really seeing. I waved my hand, reaching for the fire. I wanted to feel something…

The flame went out before my fingers could brush it and I was left in darkness once again. I rolled over to face the wall and closed my eyes. I heard a faint crackle, a hiss and the smell of burning reached my nose. I sat up and looked over. The candle was alight once more. I frowned and waved my hand. Nothing happened. Was I doing this? That didn't make sense.

I carefully picked up the candle, cupping my hand to protect the tiny flame. I looked at it and felt the spark of my determination relighting inside of me. She wasn't taking them. Not today. Not my babies.

I went to the door and tried the handle. It was locked. I gritted my teeth and went back to the bedding. I piled it up in the centre of the room and carefully held the candle against a scrap of blanket, waiting for it to catch. It sizzled and sparked into life. I dropped the scrap onto the pile and watched as the fire began to spread, building. Smoke rose from the pile, thick and noxious. It began to fill the room. I dropped to the floor in the corner near the door, pressing my face into rotten wood. This was risky, I just hoped that someone would come to see what was happening before I passed out from smoke inhalation. I kept my breathing shallow, eyes opened and fixed on the door. I would only have a few seconds. The smoke stung my eyes and burned my throat. The heat in the room was growing to an almost unbearable level.

I heard the scuffle of the key in the lock and tensed. The door opened and Dahlia came in. She saw the flames and her eyes widened.

"What are you doing you stupid girl?" Her eyes swept the room, searching for me. I lunged from my huddled position on the floor. I tackled her, grabbing hold of her and throwing her towards the fire before she had a chance to fight back. I darted out of the room, pulling the door closed and locking it. Thank god she'd left the key behind.

I threw the key to the other end of the hallway and looked at the door. Smoke was pouring out from underneath and the roar of the fire was building. I hesitated for a moment before making my decision.

Let her fucking burn.

I had to find my kids. I was about to start running when I felt sudden clarity. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, concentrating. From the bowels of the hospital came the faintest sound, a hurried beating, fast as a hummingbird's wing and barely audible. But I knew it. I kept my eyes closed and I followed the sound, picking up the pace as it got louder.

I heard a growl and opened my eyes. Klaus was sitting by a door, watching me.

"Klaus, you're still in there, I know it. And even if it's buried deep, I won't give up on you. You can try to kill me and I will die happy, knowing that I fought to get my girls home." I locked eyes with him. "What's it going to be?"

He regarded me and stepped back. I nodded and entered the room. Freya was asleep in an armchair, unaware of what was happening. There were two small baskets on the floor and inside were my two little girls. I picked them up and held them close. Lilah let out a soft gurgle.

"Shh…" I whispered. I headed for the door, paused and looked over at Freya. She'd tried to help me. I sighed. My bleeding heart was going to get me into trouble.

I went over to Freya's side and shook her awake.

"Wha…?"

"Freya. I've trapped Dahlia upstairs, I'm leaving with my children. You can come with me or you can stay here and be a slave." I turned and left without waiting for her to decide. Klaus whined as he saw me and followed me out to the front entrance.

I stepped out onto the stone steps and realised that Klaus wasn't following me. I looked back. He was stood in the doorway, watching me with regretful eyes. I returned to him and touched his head, running my fingers through the matted fur.

"Come with me?"

He looked away and I understood his hesitation. He didn't want to see the others like this. I nodded.

"When you're ready, I'll be waiting. I'll never give up on you." I kissed his forehead. "Come home."

I turned and hurried away, holding my children against my chest. I wanted to look back but I knew that it would bring only sadness. I hoped Klaus would be okay but right now I had to focus on my children. He would come home eventually, he had to.


	26. Chapter XXIV

I walked until I was a safe distance away. Only then did I dare to look back at the hospital. Smoke was thick in the air, turning the early dawn sky grey as ash. Flames were eating the roof. I felt a sense of pride. I hoped that bitch burned.

I heard a twig crack behind me and I turned sharply, cradling my twins against me.

"Come out where I can see you," I called. Freya stepped out of the darkness and smiled shyly.

"Hi…"

"Hello."

"Is that offer to come with you still open?"

"Maybe. Depends if I can trust you or not." I narrowed my eyes. "You knew what she had planned."

"Yes. And I wanted to warn you but I couldn't."

"That's why you gave me the poison?"

"Yes… Dahlia was desperate for another generation to add to her power. I've been in your position and I had to make that choice." She looked at me and I sensed that she was being honest. "I want to help you. Please, let me."

I was hesitant but I nodded.

"Okay. You can come with me as long as you can keep up." I turned away from the hospital and continued, searching for the main road. I had no idea how far we were from the French Quarter but I figured since Dahlia had been working in the quarter and I'd been snatched from the bayou it had to be within a reasonable distance of both those places. Freya trailed behind, keeping up but also leaving some space between us. My arms ached from carrying the twins. At least they were quiet. I didn't want them crying and drawing… unwanted attention.

We reached the main road. There were trees either side, forming a wall. Each way looked identical.

"Do you have a plan?" Freya asked.

"Yep. Stick out your thumb." She did as I told her, looking confused by the action.

"What am I doing?"

"You're hitchhiking. When someone drives past, they'll stop and we'll get a ride."

"Is that your whole plan?"

"Do you know which way the French Quarter is?" I asked, glaring at her. I knew it wasn't a great plan but she wasn't coming up with anything better.

"No."

"Do you have a phone?"

"Not on me."

"Then we have to wait. And hope." I sat on the roadside. Blair began to fuss and squirm. I rocked her gently, unsure of what I was supposed to be doing. I had kind of expected to just be naturally imbued with maternal knowledge once they were born. How did first time parents do it? Fuck.

She broke into full on crying and I tried to calm her. Her crying grew louder and I felt myself getting frustrated.

"Can I help?" Freya asked.

"No!" It came out a little sharper than I intended and Blair fell quiet at the sudden loud noise. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, holding her close. "I… I have to prove to myself that I can do this. I thought… I thought I was going to lose them… and I don't want… to let them go."

"I get it. Someone tried to take them and now you're afraid that anyone who touches them might take them from you. It makes sense." She knelt down beside me. "But it's not a bad thing to ask for help."

I sighed and nodded. She carefully took Blair from my arms and held her. She managed to calm her fairly quickly. I felt useless in comparison.

"It'll be okay Elena. It'll just take some time for you to adjust."

"What if I'm a bad mom?"

"You burned down a building to save your children. No one can deny that you love your kids. The rest just takes practice. I mean, most new mothers don't have to deal with… this."

"True." She handed Blair back and sat down beside me. "Are you nervous about seeing your brothers?"

"A little. I was taken before most of them were born. Mother was pregnant with Elijah when Dahlia took me. I know them only by their reputations which…"

"Aren't stellar, I know. And most of what people say… is true. But that doesn't make them bad people. They've had a lot to deal with… but they're insanely loyal to their family. If you get to know them and treat them right they can be kind, respectful… you just have to earn it with them."

We lapsed into silence, staring out at the empty road. At that moment all I wanted was to be back home. Curled up in bed with Kol. Having breakfast with Elijah. Laughing and joking with Rebekah. Fighting with Klaus. Talking with Finn. I missed them all so much.

* * *

I wasn't sure how long we sat there. It felt like a few hours. I fed the girls and they fell asleep again. Freya and I mainly stayed silent, wrapped up in our own thoughts. I was terrified that Dahlia might appear at any moment.

Eventually we heard the sound of a car approaching and Freya jumped to her feet. She flagged down the car and I followed her over to the window.

"Is there any chance we can get a ride?" I asked, chewing my lip nervously.

"Where you girls heading?" asked the driver.

"The French Quarter?" He nodded.

"It's on my way. Hop in" Freya got the door for me and carefully helped me into the back seat before climbing in beside me. The driver craned his neck and took in my dishevelled form and the babies in my arms.

"What happened to you two?"

"It's a long story," I said, closing my eyes. He didn't ask any more questions but I could sense the tension in the car. He started to drive and I relaxed, exhausted from the previous night's activities. Freya took the twins from me so that I could rest without worrying about dropping them. I settled in the seat and felt myself beginning to doze off. I welcomed the escape from reality with open arms.

I didn't quite manage to sleep, instead I drifted into that warm limbo between awake and asleep. In my mind I found myself back in the house in the French Quarter. There was a party going on, music playing and everyone was wearing extravagant dresses and masks hiding their faces. I was dancing with a tall man, a stranger who spun me in his arms. A fresh pair of hands took hold of me and I found myself in the arms of another man. I recognized his jawline and smiled.

"Elijah!" He didn't respond, passing me off to yet another partner and disappearing into the crowd.

This continued for some time, being passed from man to man, and occasionally catching glimpses of faces that I knew. Kol, Finn, Klaus, Elijah again.

I found myself in the arms of yet another man and I looked up to see if it was face I recognized. This man was wearing a mask that covered half of his face and I pulled back sharply when I registered the exposed half.

"Mikael…"

"Hello Elena," he smiled and offered his hand. "Shall we dance?"

I looked around. No one had noticed. They were continuing with their regimented dance steps, completely ignoring us. I reluctantly took his hand, knowing there was nothing I could do.

"What are you doing here?"

"You tell me. This is your dream. Am I on your mind?"

"Not even a little." He dipped me before pulling me in close, his mouth close to my ear. His breath was cold rather than hot and sent a shiver down my spine.

"I beg to differ." He spun me. "Talk me to Elena. I told you before, I'm here if you need my help."

"I… I gave birth. And I'm afraid that my children are going to end up living the ways yours did. Afraid and running." I hadn't meant to say it but my mouth moved of its own accord.

"Your children not only inherit the power of their family but also the enemies. And my children have many enemies."

"I don't want that life for them."

"Would you rather you run from their enemies or from my children? Those are your choices."

"No other way?"

"Not anymore. You chose this life Elena. Now you have to embrace everything that comes with that."

"Great…"

"Remember… some enemies are worse than others. You have to choose your fights. The enemy of your enemy…"

"Is your friend?"

"No. They're still your enemy. But you deal with the largest threat first and put your feuds aside for a common cause."

The music faded away and the room became silent. A cold breeze wafted through the courtyard. I looked up. Everyone was gone, except for Mikael who was looking at something over my shoulder. I turned slowly. Dahlia was stood in the doorway, her skin stained with soot and ash. I stepped back.

"You have to face your fears Elena," Mikael said. "You can run or you can fight. It's up to you."

* * *

I catapulted up in my seat. Freya was watching me with concern.

"Are you alright Elena?" she asked, voice hushed.

"I'm… I'm fine. Where are we?"

"We're almost there."

I looked out of the window and recognized some of the buildings we passed. We were at the outskirts of the quarter. My heart leapt. Home. Almost there.

"Where do you want me to drop you off?" The driver asked. I looked around, working out how close we were.

"Just here is fine." I said. He pulled over. "Thank you so much."

"It's okay. I hate to see nice girls in trouble."

We got out of the car. I led the way through the familiar streets to the Mikaelson house. I let us in and stepped into the courtyard. Freya hung back in the alcove of the entranceway.

"Hello?" I called out. "Anyone home?"

I heard a bang from upstairs and suddenly Kol appeared in front of me. He threw his arms around me.

"Elena! Fuck, I've been so worried!"

The others appeared downstairs, making noises of delight at the sight of me.

"Wait! No hugs yet!" I said, detaching myself from Kol. "First, I want you all to meet some people."

I went over to where Freya was waiting and took the girls from her.

"Kol, Elijah, I want you to meet your daughters. Blair and Lilah." Kol's eyes widened as if he couldn't really believe that I was holding two tiny people. Elijah blinked and took a hesitant step forward. I smiled. "Do you… want to hold her?"

He nodded. I carefully passed Lilah over to Elijah who cradled her tenderly. I looked to Kol who was still staring. I laughed softly and gently pressed Blair into his arms. She opened her eyes and gurgled softly, cuddling close to him. Elijah went and sat down on a bench, transfixed by the baby. I didn't know officially which of the siblings was the father of which child but I just had a sense that Blair was Kol's and Lilah… well, she looked like a combination of Klaus and Elijah. I just hoped the Elijah in her might balance out Klaus' side.

Rebekah went over to Kol, smiling brightly. Finn stepped forward, squinting in the darkness where Freya was still lurking.

"Who is your friend?"

"Oh that's the other thing. This is… Freya. Your… sister." Elijah's head shot up and Finn darted to Freya's side, hands going to her cheek. He examined her face and he let out a noise that sounded similar to a sob before hugging her tight to him.

"I think you need to do some explaining," Elijah said. I nodded and sat down, letting out a sigh of relief as I sat down.

"As you probably guessed, I was kidnapped during my trip to the bayou."

"Yes, your friends told us," Rebekah said.

"Are they okay?" I asked. I'd almost forgotten about the others. I hoped Tyler and Bonnie hadn't been hurt.

"They're fine. We made them go home," Kol assured me. "We knew you wouldn't want them to get hurt."

"Much appreciated. So I got attacked and abducted and spent the past few days in some old creepy hospital."

"I assume Klaus did the abducting."

"Umm… technically yes but he's not completely to blame for all of this. He's being controlled. Or at least he is now, I don't know if he was the entire time."

"He was," Freya cut in. "The second they met, she was whispering in his ear... i can't truly tell you how much of what he did was him and what was her."

"What was who?" Finn asked.

"Dahlia," said Freya. Everyone exchanged glances.

"How is that possible?" Finn demanded. "She should be long dead."

"Well so should I, by that logic," said Freya. "She performed a spell so we would sleep for a century and then spend a single year awake. Its how we were able to stay young."

"And she wants the kids. Apparently she made some stupid deal with your mother that entitles her to the first born of each generation."

"And she was more than a bit pissed off when mother turned you and prevented that from happening. Which is why she's so determined to take the twins," Freya added.

"But surely she can only take one?" Kol said. "I mean, it's not going to happen but… why is she after both of them?"

"When I said they were both of your children, I wasn't being metaphorical. Apparently it's possible to have kids from two different dads. So one of them is yours, Kol, and the other one is a combination of Elijah and Klaus. Three guesses which one."

Elijah cuddled Lilah.

"We're not going to let Dahlia touch them Elena. They're safe here, I promise."

"Thanks Elijah… but I took care of it."

"How…?"

"I started a fire, pushed her in and locked the door." Kol blinked.

"Remind me not to get on Elena's bad side."

Rebekah came over.

"Well enough morbid talk. The important thing is we have Elena back and our sister returned to us, as well as these little ones. We should be celebrating."

"Our brother is missing, and potentially being controlled by an evil witch who might be alive… or might be burned to a crisp. And you want to have a party?" Elijah asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not a party. But I think we should stop all this 'what if' talk. We have no way of knowing the answers and it seems entirely pointless to dwell on things we have no control of. Let's take a few days to relax. I'm sure Elena could use it."

"Now that you mention it… I'm pretty sure most women spend time in bed after giving birth. Not burning down buildings and hitch hiking." I was quite tired. My little rest in the car hadn't done much.

"Then it is settled. Elena, go to bed. Kol, Freya, I want you to come with me. Finn, you can join us if you want. We have some shopping to do." Rebekah said, firmly. "Elijah, do you think you can manage these little ones?"

"It would be my pleasure."

Kol looked suddenly upset.

"Does this mean I have to stop holding her?"

"Just for a little bit Kol," Rebekah told him. Kol pouted and reluctantly handed Blair over to Elijah. I smiled slightly, pleased that he'd taken to her so quickly. Rebekah bounced on the balls of her feet until Kol followed her out of the courtyard. Freya offered Finn her hand and he smiled, taking it. They followed behind him.

"Where is she taking them?" I asked.

"I believe she's been working on something in one of the upstairs bedroom that she wanted to have done before they arrived. Her preparations got put on hold when you disappeared."

"Would this something possibly be nursery related?"

"Maybe." He smiled. "Do you need a hand getting up?"

"No. I'm fine. Besides, your hands are full." I got up awkwardly and headed for the stairs. Elijah followed me. "I'm not going to go missing between the courtyard and my bedroom."

"Well I didn't expect to go to sleep and wake up to find a werewolf bite on my throat and your bed empty."

"Fine, you can come and supervise me sleeping if it makes you feel better."

I let him trail me up to my bedroom. Elijah carefully built a nest of blankets in an armchair and settled the twins inside. I found a pair of clean pyjamas and started undressing. I heard the rush of air that usually accompanied vampire movement and felt Elijah's hands on my waist.

"I never thanked you Elena."

"For what?"

"For giving us a chance to be in your life again. For saving me from myself."

I turned and faced him.

"I may not always like your family Elijah. I don't think anyone could. But… I love each and every one of you. You're my family." I linked my fingers with his. "And family doesn't abandon family."

"I love you Elena. Always and forever." I looked into his eyes and I wondered what he meant by that. Did he love me as he did Rebekah? As a sister? Or was it… something else? I hesitated, unsure of how to respond, before answering with the simplest and purest truth that I knew.

"I love you too Elijah."


	27. Chapter XXV

**A/N: So I've been a busy bee and wrote three chapters today (moving onto the fourth!) However, because I fell really behind on the originals and I hope to use characters I hadn't actually got to, I couldn't post this chapter until reached season 3 of my binge watch.**

* * *

I slept for a long time. When I woke up, Elijah was sitting in the armchair, rocking the babies who were making soft noises. He looked up and smiled.

"You're awake. I think these two are hungry."

"Well we can't have that." He brought over the twins and settled them in my arms. I smiled. It felt right, holding them. We belonged together.

"I'll give you three some privacy. And then when you're done, I think Rebekah wants to show you something. She's been bouncing around like a maniac for the past hour waiting for you to wake up." I laughed.

"Okay, I'll be out soon."

Elijah left. I looked at my little girls, watching me with their big eyes. I smiled.

"What do you think little ones? Do you think you'll be happy here?" Blair gurgled loudly and Lilah let out a happy shriek. "I agree."

I fed the girls and got dressed. As I was sorting through my clothes, I found my Mikaelson necklace. I smiled and slipped it on.

"There. What do you think?" Blair smiled brightly. "Well I'm glad you approve. Unlike Miss Grumpy pants here." I picked up Lilah. "I get it, you want your daddy. And I'm sure he'll come back. He always does. But it may not be quite that easy." I stroked her cheek. "Families are complicated. Especially this one." She looked at me and I felt uncomfortable under the gaze of that green-blue eye, so identical to Klaus. "He wasn't in complete control of what he did but he has done a lot of bad things. And I am getting a little tired of just forgiving him."

"Elena…" called Kol from behind the bedroom door. "Stop talking to yourself and come out!"

"I'm not talking to myself Kol, I am talking to Lilah. She is a little bit miffed that one of her daddy's is currently trapped in some kind of hellbeast form and is roaming Louisiana."

Kol opened the door and leant against the frame.

"Well maybe he deserves it. I know you say he was under Dahlia's control but… Klaus is still Klaus. And he's a bastard. I mean literally and in personality. He kidnapped you. More than once. And I'm sure even if he hadn't been controlled by Dahlia to do it, he probably would have done it anyway." He came over and picked Blair up. "Be happy he's not here and that we have a chance for our girls to grow up in relative peace and harmony. Okay?"

"I don't like it. He's Lilah's dad."

"Mikael is our dad and we were all much happier when he wasn't around."

"Klaus is not Mikael."

"Klaus is worse than Mikael. I know eventually Klaus will have to come back. He always does. But he should at least be punished for his part in this."

"I'll think about it." I pushed past him. "Where's Rebekah?"

"Listen and you'll hear her. She won't shut up." I laughed softly and followed the sound of Rebekah's voice. She was in the hallway and smiled when she saw me.

"Elena! You're up!" She took my hand and led me to a room. "Now it's not completely finished, I had to rush it." She opened the door and stepped aside to let me in. I bit my lip and crossed the threshold. I stared at what Rebekah had done. The room had been beautifully decorated, white fabric hanging from the walls giving the whole room an airy quality. There were two cots, a rocking chair, a bookcase with a number of books and toys dotted along the shelves.

"Oh Rebekah it's beautiful…" She smiled.

"I'm glad you like it. I thought our little princesses needed their own room."

I smiled and set Lilah in her cot. Kol came over and placed Blair in the one next to her.

"It's absolutely perfect Bexs," he said. He kissed her cheek and smiled. Elijah came to the door.

"I do applaud your effort sister and I wish we could take more time to admire the work you've put in. However there is a small…. Problem downstairs that requires Elena's immediate presence." He looked at me. "If you could… as quickly as possible."

I frowned and followed Elijah. He led me down the stairs to the courtyard. I froze on the bottom step.

"Oh wow."

The courtyard was full of wolves, a mass of shifting fur. Finn was stood by the wall, watching the animals with interest. Freya was in the middle of them, weaving her way between them.

"Elena, would you care to explain this…?" Elijah asked, gesturing to them.

"You're acting like I have an answer." I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see Rebekah and Kol on the stairs.

"Would someone tell me why our house is full of mangy dogs?" Rebekah asked. One of the wolves growled.

"They're not dogs, Rebekah!" said Freya with a delighted childlike innocence. "They're wolves! Aren't they beautiful?" She went to pet one and it snapped at her. "Not… friendly though."

"I did not cause this. I only know one pack of wolves and they're in the bayou. And I gave them the cure so they shouldn't be stuck as wolves anymore." I bit my lip. "Plus last time I was out there someone died and one of them got attacked so I doubt they'd be feeling particularly friendly."

"Well then, this is quite a mystery," said Kol. "Do we know anyone who has a penchant for the dramatic and an affinity for these four legged friends?"

"Nik…" said Rebekah softly.

"According to Elena, he's currently roaming Louisiana as some kind of… what did you call him Elena? A hellbeast?" I gave him a look. "Either way, he's hardly going to be in a fit condition to rally an army of wolves and send them to our door."

"Dahlia?" Finn suggested.

"She hates wolves. She's more likely to use flowers," Freya commented, still trying to pet the nearby wolves.

"I don't think they were sent by someone…" I bit my lip. "Freya, can you stop trying to pet them for a minute and fetch Lilah?" She nodded and headed up the stairs. Elijah eyed me warily.

"What are you doing Elena?"

"Working on a hunch." Freya returned with Lilah and handed her to me. I stepped off the staircase and into the courtyard. The wolves bristled, eyes fixed on me. I moved between them, into the centre of the room, guided by something I didn't really understand. I looked at the wolves around me, their glowing amber eyes watching me. "This is who you're here for, isn't it?"

Lilah squirmed in my arms. I bit my lip and laid her on the floor. She whined a little but otherwise stayed quiet. The wolves watched me. I could feel the Mikaelsons' tension from where I stood.

I stepped back. The wolves looked at Lilah and slowly one stepped forward. I frowned, the markings oddly familiar. It lowered its muzzle to her head and sniffed. I bit my lip, ready to rush forward and grab her at a second's notice. It licked her forehead and sat. It let out a low howl, which was echoed by the ones around it. I smiled and looked at the siblings who were staring.

"I had a… strong hunch they were here for her. Somewhat aided by the fact that a whole bunch of them showed up when I gave birth." I stepped forward and picked up Lilah. "I don't know who they are or where they came from but they… seem to be on our side." I kissed Lilah's forehead and handed her over to Elijah. The wolves growled softly. "Or at least… my side. It might take some work for them to like you."

"Speaking of people who don't like us…" said Kol. "You realise that fairly soon we're going to get a whole bunch of old enemies crawling out of the woodwork planning to use these girls for their own end. Even if Dahlia is dead, they're not safe."

"Kol, we agreed no serious talk for a few days," Rebekah complained.

"I know but bear with me." He took a deep breath, considering his words. "When Elena was pregnant, so many people swore their allegiance to her. I think, we should invite them here and see if they're prepared to do it again. And this time, we bind them to that oath."

"You realise if we invite them here, we're essentially inviting snakes into our home." Elijah pointed out.

"I think it's a good idea," I said. "We need to know who our friends are, who we can rely on when the time comes. Better to do it in one swift act rather than drag it out with small negotiations that might break down as soon as one person finds out about the other." Elijah groaned.

"Elena, I think I liked it better when you were silent and didn't get a say."

"Well tough. Cause you're stuck with me." I folded my arms. "We'll take a vote on it. All those in favour of having a get together and inviting the witches, vampires and werewolves to swear allegiance to the family?"

Kol raised his hand immediately. Then Freya. And Rebekah. Finn hesitated but even his hand rose.

"See Elijah? We're decided. So lose the grumpy face and go play with your daughter till you feel friendly enough to help make preperations."

"And what are you planning on doing Elena?" he asked. "Might I suggest building a large kennel for your new pets?"

The wolves growled. I held out my hand and they fell silent.

"Might not want to antagonize them. We don't know if they're normal wolves, werewolves stuck in wolf form or hybrids who just happen to prefer the four legged look. Either way, you might not want to risk one biting you."

"Are you threatening me Elena?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No. I'm merely pointing out the obvious."

"If they touch me, I will –"

"Oh come now Elijah, as long as they're housetrained I don't see a problem with Elena's new friends," Rebekah cut in.

"Thank you Rebekah. And I am going out for a walk Elijah. I've spent the past week or so locked up in a single room in the most depressing hospital you've ever seen. So I will go and get some fresh air. Maybe see a few friends… Cami… Sophie… maybe even Marcel. I should probably inform him that his witch is a psycho and also a pile of ash." I weaved my way through the wolves. "And I know you're probably itching to follow me but please, don't."

I headed out of the courtyard and onto the street. I heard Kol call my name and I paused, looking round. He appeared in the doorway and came over to me.

"Kol, I know stalking is your speciality, but I really want some time to myself."

"No, I get it, I just wanted to talk to you about something."

"Okay, go on."

"I… I was wondering if…" he fiddled with something in his pocket. "Would you… Will you… m…m…ma…"

"Kol, I think you're adorable when you stutter but maybe you should wait to ask whatever it is when you can actually string a sentence together?" I gave him a kind smile. "I won't be gone long, I promise." I kissed his cheek and headed off.

* * *

I made my way to Rousseau's. I felt a wave of warmth at the sight of the bar. It was a place that I'd found such comfort in over the past few months. I let myself inside, relaxing as the musty scent of liquor and spices washed over me. Cami was at the bar, reading and she looked up at the sound of the door. Her eyes widened when she saw me.

"Elena!" She rushed over and hugged me. "Oh wow… you're so skinny!"

"Yeah I no longer look like I swallowed a beach ball. Still got a way to go though before I get back to my old self." She smiled and ushered me to the bar.

"You look amazing. Motherhood clearly suits you."

"Thanks. It's been a bit of an adjustment."

"I can imagine. What did you have?"

"Two girls. Lilah and Blair."

"Aww. And where are the little ones?"

"They're at home. With the rest of the family. I just needed some time to myself." I bit my lip. "Is that bad?"

"No. You can't let your life be defined by your kids." She smiled. "How are things at home?"

"Crazy as always. Everyone's gone into overdrive since the twins were born."

"It's nice to see you looking happy. In your past visits you've always looked… kind of tense. Like you had the world on your shoulders."

"It felt like that. A lot. But now… everything just feels… right. It fits. Things finally make sense."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"Is Sophie in? I can't stay out long before everyone will freak out, I wanted to say hi to her before I have to go back."

"Yeah, she's in the back."

I smiled brightly and headed away from the bar to the door that separated the kitchen from the rest of the room. A tall dark haired man was coming the other way and I nearly collided with him.

"Careful there," he said, reaching out and steading me before I could fall. His voice was clipped with a British accent.

"Whoa! Sorry…"

"It's okay. No blood, no foul, right?" He adjusted the cuff of his sleeves and gave a slight smile.

"Thanks. Sorry, kind of out of it."

"Not a problem. Just keep your head clear, might help you in future." He stepped around me and went over to the bar. I let myself into the kitchen where Sophie was working.

"Hey," I said. She turned.

"Elena! Oh my god, I've been so worried."

"Sorry… crazy hybrid daddy and angry witch aunt decided to abduct me and try to steal my babies. All sorted now."

"Jeeze. Do you ever have a normal day?"

"What are you talking about? That was a normal day." She laughed softly.

"How are you feeling?"

"Rough. I feel… drained."

"That's probably because you don't have all that magic and hybrid blood running through your body."

"You're right. It was a hell of a pick me up."

"Do you miss it?"

"The magic? Yeah… a little bit. I felt… strong. Safe. Now I'm back to being useless and weak."

"I wouldn't use either of those words to describe you Elena." She turned and faced me. "You… have a… presence around you. Like a force. It's like magic but not quite. I feel like the ancestors are watching over you. They want you to be safe."

"I think that's meant to be comforting…" The idea of a bunch of dead witches watching over me made me kind of uncomfortable.

"The ancestors don't look on non-witches very often. You should feel honoured."

"From what I know of your ancestors, they don't like vampires. And since I am sleeping with their enemy… literally in some cases… I can't imagine they'd be too fond of me."

"True but you are also the mother of two little witches who might be the most powerful ones to ever be born."

"And here I thought I was the special one." I smiled slightly. "We're planning a big party to welcome them to the city and try to prevent any fighting between the various factions. You want to come? I could use a familiar face."

"I'd love to."

I smiled and checked my watch.

"I really should head back. Before Elijah pops up doing his whole overly protective thing."

"I'll see you soon." I hugged her and left the bar.


	28. Chapter XXVI

**A/N: Four chapters! I'm on a role. This one is a bit shorter but I didn't want to cram it with stuff. That's for the next chapter… lots to happen then.**

 **I made it to season 3 and Lucien is absolutely perfect for what I have planned for my sequel...**

* * *

I returned to the house. The wolves were still in the courtyard although had spread out a bit now and were curled up in various corners. When I entered, they lifted their heads and a few padded over to greet me.

"Hello there." I gently stroked the nearest one. "You guys aren't as scary as you pretend to be." The wolf gave an aggravated huff. I rolled my eyes. "Yes, yes, I know, you're a big scary monster."

"Who's a big scary monster?" said Rebekah, coming down the stairs. She stepped on the tail of one of the wolves at the bottom and it yelped, snapping at her. "Oh shush or I'll turn you into a coat."

"You should be nicer to them Rebekah. They're trying to protect your nieces." The offended wolf limped over to me and I patted him. "Stop being so dramatic she stepped on your tail not your leg."

"While that may be true, they're still rather large and in the way. And we have no idea who they actually are or why they've grown quite so attached to you."

"They're friends. That's enough for now." I shooed them away and sat on the bench by the stairs. Rebekah came over and joined me.

"How was your little trip out?"

"Pleasant. Got a little sun, saw a few friends. It was almost like being normal."

"Normal is overrated in my opinion." I smiled and nudged her.

"Did Elijah completely freak out?"

"A little bit. But that's to be expected. You do have a habit of vanishing when you go for walks. It'll take time for him to adjust and calm down."

I looked at Rebekah and felt a warm rush of love. I reached over and wrapped my arms around her. She hugged me back.

"I missed you sister."

"I missed you too. Life is so much more interesting with you around."

I laughed softly and nudged her again.

"Are the girls okay?"

"Yeah. They're going to be incredibly spoiled. I don't think they've been put down all day."

"I'm glad they're happy."

"Are you?"

"I think so. And right now I am going to go to my room, relax, enjoy the feeling and put on one of my favourite films."

"Enjoy. I am going to go and get drunk somewhere."

"Have fun." We parted, her heading out and me heading upstairs. I paused at the nursery and peaked in. Kol was in the rocking chair, reading softly to one of the twins. He didn't seem to notice me, didn't pause in his reading and I didn't want to disturb him.

I went to my room and paused. The wolf that I'd recognized was sitting on the bed and now that I looked at him I realized why I had recognized him. He was the one who'd come to me the night before I'd been taken.

"Hello again." I came over and sat on the bed. "Who are you? I thought you were Klaus but I know that's not true now." He whined and stretched. "Okay Mr Mystery. You can keep your secrets. But you are not hogging my bed. Budge over so I can lie down."

The wolf moved to the side, leaving my space to lie down. I got comfy and he immediately snuggled up.

"Getting awfully familiar there, aren't you?" I ran my fingers through his fur. "Well I hope you like the film A Little Princess because that is what I am watching tonight." He didn't make any noise so I put the film on, turned out the light and lit a few candles before settling down once more. The wolf rested its head on its paws and turned its head towards the screen.

I lost myself in the film, one that I'd loved since I was little. I felt comforted by the familiarity of it. The wolf whined softly beside me. I glanced over at him.

"You alright?" He whined again, shifting restlessly on the bed. I sat up slowly, concerned.

Suddenly, all the candles in the room went out and my laptop switched off, plunging the room into darkness. I bolted to my feet and looked around. The curtains blew sharply. The wolf snarled and got to his feet, moving to my side.

"I'm guessing we should get out of here…" He made a noise that I took as agreement and I hurried to the door. There was a click. I tried the handle and it refused to move. "This is getting worse by the second."

The wolf snarled and backed into the corner. I took a deep breath and kneeled.

"It's okay. Don't get scared." I stroked him gently. "It'll be okay." He licked my hand and gently butted his head against my leg. I got up and turned to face the room. "Whoever is doing this, please show yourself."

Nothing moved. I sighed.

"Look, I was actually quite enjoying myself and you're really cutting into my me time. So I'd appreciate if we could get this over with?"

The sound of whispering filled the room, like it was filled with many people. The voices grew louder and louder until they were at a deafening volume. I covered my ears with my hands, groaning in pain. For a moment I saw the figures of many people filling the room and the voices merged into one.

As quickly as it had started, it stopped. The candles flared back into life and now there was a lone figure stood in the middle of the room. It was dark but I could make out a few details. It was a woman in a black dress with long blonde hair. She was facing away from me, looking out of the window.

"Hello…?" She turned slowly and smiled.

"Hello there my dear."

"Who are you?" The wolf growled. "Easy boy…"

"Your friend does not like me."

"Good observation. Neither do I especially. You've locked me in my bedroom and screwed up my evening with your witchy voodoo. So I suggest you give us a reason to like you."

"So brave. Considering you no longer have your powers."

"I don't need powers. I'm strong enough on my own. Now, enough stalling. Who are you?"

"My name is Esther. I assume you've heard of me?" I stared blankly at her. "No? I would have thought my children would have told you all manner of untruths about me." It clicked.

"You're the mother."

"That I am."

"I have to congratulate you. You really did manage to raise a little band of psychopaths."

"Yet you continue to associate yourself with them. If they are so monstrous, why wouldn't you distance yourself from them?"

"I have issues." I folded my arms. "What do you want? Last I checked you were dead. And you have decided to spend your afterlife haunting… me?"

"You've drawn a lot of attention. The other side is buzzing with talk of you. The doppelganger who managed to tame the feared Mikaelson siblings, end the life of Mikael, the vampire who hunts vampires, and break the laws of nature by bearing not one but two vampire children."

"I'm nothing if not interesting."

"And now it appears you are attempting to become queen of the city, uniting vampires, witches and werewolves as one. How noble."

"I just want my children to be safe. I'm sure you of all people can understand the lengths a mother will go to."

"I certainly can."

"Although, so far I haven't sold any of my children to the devil for my own needs."

"You speak of Dahlia."

"Unless you have another psychotic sibling I should be concerned about? I do hope she's not planning to pay me a ghostly visit anytime soon?"

"My dear sister is not amongst us."

"Oh. Great. I thought burning was supposed to kill witches. Maybe next time I should tie her to a stake."

"Dahlia is immortal."

"Everyone is these days. It's not a big deal. Anyone can die."

"Well said. Yet fire is not the way to dispatch Dahlia."

"Well I know that now. But at the time all I had was a candle and a really strong desire to get away."

"If we had known that you would interpret our message as a means of ending her, we would have sent something more effective."

"You lit the candle?"

"I cannot take credit for that one specifically. That was cast by another deceased witch who haunts the halls of the hospital where you were being held."

"Will she also be dropping in for a visit? Because this one has been oh so fun." She ignored my sarcasm.

"The candle was meant simply as a sign for you to retain hope. That you were not alone."

"Next time, send me a knife."

"I see why my sons are so enamoured with you. You're such a bloodthirsty little thing."

"I didn't used to be like this."

"No… you are very much a creature of my childrens' creation. I see them written across your face."

"Okay I've reached my quota of cryptic conversation for the day. Tell me what you want Esther."

"I simply wanted to ensure that the mother of my grandchildren was being adequately taken care of. And remind her that she has friends in high places."

"Thanks. But I have enough trouble with my living friends. If you want to help me, tell me how to kill Dahlia and make sure she stays dead."

"I cannot."

"Helpful."

"You are young. You lack patience. I will tell you what you need to know in time. Dahlia was weakened by your attack and that will buy you time to learn what you need to know."

"And in the meantime you're just going to… what? Float there? Spy on me? Be my spirit guide?"

"I will be with you. As will all of us. When you need us, we will come to your aid." She moved towards me until she was only an inch away. "But know this Elena. The life you have chosen will be far from easy. Happiness is not a right, it is a gift, one that must be hard fought to gain. And you will have to sacrifice much if you want it."

The lights went out for a second, relighting after a moment. The film turned back on. Esther was gone.


	29. Chapter XXVII

**A/N: I had something different planned for this chapter but I had a very bad evening, spent about an hour crying and really couldn't be asked to write the super long chapter I had planned. I apologize if characters don't survive this chapter, it's either them or me.**

* * *

I didn't mention my spectral visit to anyone. I wasn't stupid enough to think of it as a bad dream but I didn't see how talking about it would solve anything. It would probably just make the siblings upset and possibly lead to an unpleasant situation involving an Ouija board.

My night-time wolf stayed extra close after the visit. He followed me around the house and would whine whenever I shut a door on him. I didn't mind so much but I was definitely going to have to teach him about boundaries. I was grateful the company most of the time, if I was honest. Even though I was surrounded by people, I felt more alone than ever. Since my return, both Elijah and Kol seemed to be acting different. It almost seemed like they were trying to avoid me, although I didn't know why. I didn't see much of Rebekah or Freya either. They'd been busy planning the party.

I'd tried to keep busy. I spent my time looking after the twins and trying to maintain the ever growing wolf population. It seemed to get bigger each day. While I knew that was technically a good thing, since it meant more wolves to protect the girls, I still didn't know if they're presence was supposed to mean something else that I just wasn't getting yet.

Despite my distractions, I still found myself with moments of empty time. I was sat on the bench in the courtyard during one such time, the day before the party, idly plaiting my wolf's fur while he let out disgruntled noises. I heard footsteps and looked up to see Finn watching me from a distance.

"I feel for that animal."

"Just wait till the twins grow up. I promise you and your brothers will have your hair plaited and your nails painted." Finn suppressed a laugh, which quickly turned into a chuckle before evolving into full on laughter. I blinked, surprised. I wasn't used to seeing Finn so emotive.

"Oh I cannot wait to see Elijah with plaits!" He laughed. I giggled at the mental image that appeared in my head. Finn's laughter slowed and he came over to sit beside me. "How are you Elena? I've not had much chance to talk to you lately."

"It's okay. You've been with Freya. I get it, you haven't seen her in a thousand years."

"That doesn't mean I should neglect you."

"Everyone else is ignoring me, I'm used to it."

"It's not intentional. They have a lot to get ready for tomorrow night." He looked over at me. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Okay?"

"I get the feeling no one has told you what is actually happening and I don't think that's right. You deserve to know what you're getting yourself into."

"I thought it was just a party… where we got everyone who agreed before to agree again."

"I thought that was what Kol had told you. In truth… there's a lot more that they have planned. I believe… I know… that Kol intends to have Freya perform an allegiance ceremony."

"I already don't like the sound of that…"

"There are many spells of ceremony and ritual in our world. Witches have their regents. Werewolves have unification. The allegiance ceremony is something older and greater. It was originally created during a period of great war, after our kind first began to flourish. A very fearsome vampire helped create it. Her name was Countess Elizabeth Bathory de Ecsed. In human culture she's known as a notorious serial killer but she was far more than that. With the help of a young witch, she created a powerful spell that allowed her to bind people to her in something akin to a sire bond, but far more potent and not limited to vampires she had made Witches, werewolves, vampires, even humans, all of them were forced to kneel before her."

"Right… and how do we have this spell?"

"You know Kol and his witches."

"So he wants to force the quarter into serving me?"

"No. As far as I know, everyone who has agreed to come is doing so of their own free will. After the Countess was executed, the spell disappeared for a while. It's only been used a few times during the centuries, usually to settle disputes over land. Powerful groups would elect a representative who could speak for them all and swear allegiance to that person, completely voluntarily. A queen so to speak."

"I'm literally going to become the queen of New Orleans?"

"Yes."

"And you got everyone to agree to this? I don't buy it."

"Shockingly yes. As Queen, you'll be able to call on them whenever you need them. Although I would recommend you save it for emergencies and not just when you need a cup of coffee." I looked at him, considering. This felt too good to be true.

"Does it involve me getting stabbed in the heart?"

"No."

"Are you sure? Because I am over being used as a ritual ingredient."

"I promise, you do not need to be stabbed… it does involve some of your blood however."

"There's a surprise."

"Everyone who is allying with you will come tomorrow night, or send a representative. They have to drink a tiny amount of your blood, a drop will do. They each offer up blood and an item to be burned. The blood and ash is mixed together and you have to... drink half of it and bathe in the rest."

"Fuck that's disgusting!"

"Please bear in mind Elena, this spell was invented by a lunatic."

"Yes. A lunatic. So why are we doing this? It's disgusting and sadistic and I don't want to force my friends into some insane ritual when I know that they will support me."

"Oh come now Finn," said Kol's voice. "You're making it sound far worse than it is."

"Would you rather I continue lying to her?"

"Yes Kol, when were you going to tell me what you had planned?"

"I… was… thinking about it…"

"Well you can stop thinking about it because it is not happening. I'm not doing it."

"Elena, I'm just trying to protect you." I stared at him.

"Say that again."

"I… I'm just trying to protect you?"

"There it is. When you say that, you sound exactly like Klaus. In fact, this whole plan reeks of him. You told me to shun him, yet you're beginning to act just like him." He recoiled like I'd slapped him. I got to my feet.

"Elena, I am doing this to help our daughter!" he said.

"No, you are trying to help yourself with this stupid power play! Believe it or not, I'm not super keen on having every mythical creature in the city bound to me so you can play king! Remember that last time I got bound to supernaturals, I ended up pregnant!"

"Well there's an easy way to prevent that Elena. Maybe just… I don't know… don't spread your legs for every vampire who smiles at you?"

"Kol! That's enough!" Finn snapped, on his feet.

"It's true though, isn't it Finn? She likes to play the innocent, but she's quite happy to jump from one of our beds to another when it suits her!" My wolf let out a snarl and lunged, fastening his teeth around Kol's hand. "Son of a bitch!"

Kol grabbed the wolf by the scruff and made as if to throw him across the room. I grabbed his wrist.

"Kol I swear to god if you hurt him I will kill you!" Kol glared at me and I glared back at him. Slowly he released the wolf. I stepped back.

"I am going out. I am in need of a very very strong drink and if anyone dares follow me, I'll set Cujo on them."

The wolf growled. I couldn't tell if it was in support or disapproving of my nickname. I stormed towards the door.

"Maybe, if you're lucky, I'll come back. And if not… well you'll have to explain to everyone exactly why their future queen has gone AWOL."

I stalked out of the house, the wolf at my side. I paused and looked down.

"I appreciate the help, but I don't want you to get taken away by animal control." He ignored me and continued padding along beside me. "I don't think they'll let you in the bar." I sighed and shrugged. On his own head be it.

I went to the only place that I felt comfortable. Rousseau's. I hoped to drown my sorrows and complain to either Sophie or Cami about Kol. Unfortunately when I got there, the door was locked firmly. I frowned and shook it slightly. I'd always imagined Rousseau's as a permanent safe place, somewhere I'd always be able to go to. I'd almost forgotten it was actually a business.

"Sorry Love," said a British voice from the shadows of the building. I looked over and saw the man who'd bumped into me on my last visit. The wolf growled softly "They had a bit of an incident here earlier. Whole place is shut down for the evening."

"And yet you're lurking here?"

"I was just wondering what to have for dinner," he smirked and brushed his thumb over the corner of his mouth, examining the digit with interest.

"Let me guess… vampire?"

"What gave me away?"

"Practically every attractive guy in this town is one. It'd be stranger if you weren't." He took a few steps closer.

"You think I'm attractive? How sweet." He ran his eyes over me. "And who are you? Girl who knows so much. You're not a vampire… you don't smell like a witch. I'd guess by your companion that you're a werewolf but again… you smell very human."

"I am. I'm just… a special human." A small smile spread across his face.

"You wouldn't happen to be the human who managed to conceive a mythical vampire pregnancy would you?"

"I have so many other qualities."

"I'm sure. Why don't you and I have a drink and you can tell me about them?"

"I'm not in the habit of drinking with unfamiliar vampires."

"But you did come here to get drunk, didn't you? You have that look in your eyes."

"I will admit that I did."

"And since I was the one who caused this lovely place to be closed this evening, I believe I owe you a drink." I considered and looked at the wolf. He gave me a look that seemed to say 'you are a moron if you go with this guy'. But then again, he was a wolf. I could have been misinterpreting.

"One drink." I had no desire to go home yet.

"Excellent." He smiled, reached over and gave the door handle a firm twist until there was a snapping noise. "Ladies first."

I went inside and perched on the bar top. He sat on a stool, reached over and grabbed two bottles.

"Are you more of a vodka or a tequila girl?"

"Vodka." He went to hand me the bottle but paused.

"I don't know if I should give you this… if I remember correctly you have to be 21 to drink over here, right?"

"Seriously? You kill people and you're worried about drinking laws?"

"Fair point." He handed me the bottle. "So what do I call you beautiful?"

"My name?"

"And what would that be?"

"Elena."

"A pleasure. My name is Lucien."

"And you don't have anything better to do with your immortality than drink with me?"

"I can think of nothing better to do right now than drink with you Elena." He smiled and grabbed a bottle of bourbon. "You live with the Mikaelsons don't you?"

"I do. You know them?"

"Everyone knows them. They're legendary after all."

"They're a legendary pain in the ass." He laughed softly.

"Are they the reason you're out here getting drunk?"

"One of them is."

"Well I owe that one a great deal of thanks then." I drank deeply. "I can appreciate it must be hard living on the fringes of our world. Have you not thought about…?"

"About turning?"

"Yes."

"I've considered it. I'd be safer that's for certain. But… the idea of immortality doesn't really appeal to me."

"Is that because you're afraid you'll be alone? Or that you'll be stuck with the Mikaelsons for eternity?"

"I'm honestly not sure." I drank again. "I don't know why I'm telling you all this."

"I am no psychologist. But I have spent a lot of time talking to that rather cute little blonde who works here. And I reckon it's because I am a stranger who can understand completely the problems you have to deal with. I mean, you can't tell a human. And the witches wouldn't fully understand. All of the vampires who live here are afraid of the Mikaelsons. I am in the perfect position to provide impartial advice."

"No one is impartial." The wolf whined and nudged my leg with his head. "Shh boy, it's alright."

"He doesn't like me."

"He doesn't like anyone."

"That's not true, he seems awfully fond of you."

"I'm a rare exception." I stroked him gently, letting out a soft sigh. I knew when I went back I'd have a mess to clear up.

"Can I ask exactly what has gotten you so down?"

"I… I don't know where I stand with them. The Mikaelsons. Half the time I think they love me, other times I'm sure they're using me."

"How do you feel about them?"

"It's complicated."

"Uncomplicate it then."

"I wish I could." I took a gulp of vodka and grimaced. "I'm supposed to do this crazy ritual tomorrow. An allegiance ceremony or something"

"Oh. Now that is some serious shit."

"Yeah. Except no one told me that for ages. And they say they're trying to protect me and my kids but I don't know if that's true or if it's just another way for them to take more power."

"Well I can't imagine they'd gain much from having you allied with everyone. They can't use that power."

"They could make me order the people allied to me to do things though."

"True. But you seem like a fairly stubborn girl. I'm guessing they wouldn't have much luck with it."

I laughed softly.

"Thank you Lucien. You're one of the few people to treat me like a person for a long time." He lifted his bottle.

"I'm here to serve my lady. A toast? To new friends?" I smiled slightly.

"I'll drink to that." I clinked my bottle against his. He grinned roguishly before drinking deeply.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, no one died.**


	30. Chapter XXVIII

**A/N: Nightlark does not condone drinking while breastfeeding.**

* * *

I drank with Lucien until I could no longer feel most of my body and everything felt pleasantly warm. He was good company and easy to talk to. The alcohol definitely helped a lot.

"I should go home…" I said, my words slurred.

"Do you think that's a good idea in your condition? I mean, I've heard how protective they are of you."

"Everyone knows how protective they are of me." I rested my head on the bar. "They're gonna be really mad at me."

"You know what might help?"

"What?"

"More alcohol. Drink up. You'll care less what they think."

"Solid advice!" I smiled and downed some more vodka. "I really should go home though. Before they tear apart the French quarter trying to find me."

"At least let me walk you home love?" I nodded and slipped off the bar, wobbling slightly. The wolf barked and nudged me lightly. Lucien got up and offered me his hand. I took it and he lightly placed his other hand on my waist, steadying me.

"My vodka!" I cried out. Lucien laughed and snagged the bottle for me, along with his bourbon. We staggered out of the bar and down the street, my wolf trailing us. Music from some of the bars drifted over to us. I bobbed up and down to the beat, swaying in Lucien's arms. He grinned and spun me. I laughed.

"I am not sober enough for dancing!"

"Drunk dancing is far more fun Elena!" I giggled.

"Thank you for tonight. I've not had fun like that in such a long time."

"I think you're entitled to a little bit of fun now and then. If you feel like a repeat performance, I will be in the quarter for another few weeks." We stopped a little way from the Mikaelson house. I slumped against the nearest wall. He fished a business card from his pocket and slipped it in my hand. "That is, if your hangover tomorrow doesn't put you off."

"I'll see you around Lucien." I gave him an awkward hug and pulled away, wobbling on the uneven steps. I paused at the gate and waved in Lucien's direction but he was already gone. I staggered inside, hoping that no one would be up. Unfortunately, all of them were in the courtyard, Elijah, Kol and Rebekah playing cards while Freya and Finn were sat a little way away talking.

"Elena. Where have you –" Elijah began.

"Where have I been? Is that what you're going to say? Of course it is cause that's what you always say." My words ran together sloppily, my tongue felt heavy.

"Well it appears the future queen is drunk off her ass," Kol said.

"Y'know what Kol? I am… very… very drunk. And it is awesome. So you can just shuddup. I have had a greeeeat evening. I hung out with a very nice friendly vampire and drunk so much vodka!"

"Oh wonderful. When's his baby due?" Kol snarked.

"Oh fuck you Kol! Fuck you so hard! You are not my dad. You're not my boyfriend. You are not anything! I can and I will sleep with whoever I want to and… you… you have no say. I could sleep with Rebekah and it would be… be… beautiful and… none of your business."

"Thanks Elena but you're not my type," Rebekah said without looking up. "Although I applaud you taking control of your body and telling Kol where to stick it."

"He can stick it where he wants to Bekah. I don't care." The room was spinning a bit. "I am the queen of New Orleans and I decree… Kol Mikaelson… you are a dick."

"Okay I think it's time for her majesty to go to bed." Elijah said, getting up.

"Nooo! I'm not tired!" I made to run, tripped and fell on my ass. "Save me Rebekah! The buzzkill monster is coming!"

"Sorry Elena, you're on your own," Rebekah said, trying to stifle her laughter. Elijah came over and picked me up. I squirmed in his arms. He moved me so I was over his shoulder, dangling down. The wolf snarled.

"Get him Cujo! Get him!" Elijah rolled his eyes and headed for the stairs, me dangling down.

"Come on princess, time for bed." He carried me upstairs and into my room, dropping me onto bed. "Get some rest Elena."

"Why didn't you tell me what was going to happen?" I said, looking up at her. "Why do you keep making decisions for me without talking to me?"

He sighed softly and wrapped the blankets around me before leaving silently. I scowled and curled up. The wolf was sitting on the floor watching me.

"You judging me too?" I asked. He cocked his head to the side and whined. "Alright, you can sleep on the floor that Mr Grumpy Fangs." He whined and came over, putting his front paws on the edge of the bed. "You have it so easy. I wish I could just be an animal and then I wouldn't have to worry about anything except eating and sleeping." He stared at me. "Stop it." More staring. "Fine. Come on up!"

He jumped up and snuggled under the covers beside me. I sighed and fished the business card Lucien had given me from my pocket. I turned it over in my fingers slowly. The wolf whined and tried to pull it from my fingers with his teeth.

"Quit it. I know you don't like vampires but I do. And he was nice to me which is getting rarer and rarer." The wolf huffed. "You're nice to me but you don't count. I can't get drunk with you, it would probably make you very sick. Sicker than I'm probably going to be in the morning." He licked my hand. I put the card on the bedside table and closed my eyes. My warm buzz had worn off a bit. I kissed the wolf's head and let myself doze off.

* * *

I was woken by loud noises coming from downstairs. I groaned. My head was throbbing and my mouth tasted like something had thrown up in it. I stumbled to my feet and headed down the stairs, rubbing my head.

"What is with all the noise? I know we've got stuff happening today but does that really require you to remodel the courtyard?"

The siblings were in the middle of moving various things around, clattering around in the process. Kol looked over and grinned.

"Feeling a little worse for wear are you Elena?"

"I am not talking to you. Because I have a memory of you implying that I am a slut so I don't feel very friendly towards you right now." I sat down and covered my ears, trying to block out the noise.

"I take it her majesty is regretting last night's escapades?" Elijah asked.

"I regret ever meeting all of you."

"I bet you regret that bottle of vodka a whole lot more." I groaned again.

"Please just keep the noise down." I got up and stalked upstairs to my room. My eyes landed on the business card Lucien had given me. I picked it up and grabbed my phone, dialling the number.

"Kingmaker Land Development, Lucien Castle speaking."

"How is it possible that you sound so good right now? That's so unfair."

"Hello Elena. Feeling a little rough are we?"

"Well I am. It sounds like you're feeling fine."

"Perks of being a vampire love. It takes a lot to get me hungover. And, in addition, I have several extra centuries of practice at dealing with them."

"I hate you."

"No you don't. You find me witty, charming and devilishly handsome

"Please tell me I didn't call you any of those things last night."

"Even if you hadn't, I'm good at reading between the lines." There was a pause. "So are you calling to plan another night of debauchery and drinking?"

"Sadly tonight I have this stupid party thing."

"Oh your allegiance ceremony, right? Have you decided if you're going to go through with it?"

"I'm still thinking. The headache isn't helping matters." I sighed. "Are you coming to this thing tonight?"

"I don't swear fealty to anyone. Least of all a girl who cannot hold her vodka."

"You don't have to swear fealty. You could just come and laugh at me having to bathe in blood and ashes."

"As tempting as that sounds, I will have to pass. I have work to do unfortunately. I've arranged for a gift to be delivered in my place."

"You barely know me, you didn't have to do that."

"After everything you said last night, I know you intimately. And it's a special occasion for the city."

"Well I hope your gift is a towel, because I'm going to need it." He laughed softly.

"I'll see you soon Elena, I promise."

"Sounds good. Don't let me drink as much next time though."

"Now that I won't promise. You are an entertaining drunk."

"Have a good day Lucien."

"I hope your hangover improves Elena." He hung up. The wolf huffed. I stuck my tongue out at him. I wasn't going to decide who to be friends with based on the opinion of a wolf with stalker tendencies.

I lay back and stared up at the ceiling. I had no idea if I was going to go through with this. I liked the idea of the girls being protected, particularly since I couldn't do it anymore and since the Mikaelson ghost mama had said that Dahlia was still a threat. But I didn't want people to be forced into it. Surely if they were made to ally, they'd spend their time just trying to kill me so they would be free.

And becoming the unofficial queen of the New Orleans supernatural community? That was honestly terrifying. I had no idea how to do… anything like that really. I needed answers to these questions I had and I didn't think anyone was likely to give them to me.

There was a knock at the door and Finn came in.

"How you feeling?"

"Terrible."

"I brought water and paracetamol. Might help." He handed me a glass of water and two white pills. "Kol was out of line last night."

"It was true though. I did sleep with all of you."

"Yes… but we all knew that you were doing it. And it does take two people to make love Elena. Kol was just being cruel last night. He was trying to hurt you. After all, he and Klaus were actively trying to compete to seduce you, he has no grounds to be upset."

"Can we please stop talking about my sex life?"

"Of course."

"I have some questions about tonight."

"Go ahead."

"Are you absolutely certain that everyone is okay with this?"

"Everyone participating tonight is there of their free will. I promise."

"And… if I go through with it… do I need to like… rule things? Because I can barely take care of two small children, let alone a whole city."

"Well, the leaders of the various factions will run their own sections. Obviously, if you want you can run things but I suggest just leaving them to it. You'll only be needed if there is an issue between factions."

"That doesn't sound so bad…" I bit my lip. "Does this loyalty extend to my children?"

"That was an issue we were discussing. Because of their age, they count as an extension of you. When they get older, we might need to do the ritual again. But everyone who participates should have some level of allegiance to all of your bloodline."

"Does that include Jeremy? I mean he's not my brother by blood but he is my cousin."

"Probably. It won't be particularly strong but if he's in danger they'll aid him and they won't harm him."

"How long does it last?"

"If Freya does it right, it'll last until your bloodline dies."

"What's stopping one of my allies from changing their mind and killing me to free themselves?"

"They won't be able to. They won't even be able to think about hurting you." I considered. It didn't sound as bad anymore. Most of my concerns had been addressed by Finn at least.

"Your family… I wouldn't count you as vampires, I mean, you're more than vampires. You're like a faction all of your own."

"What are you getting at?"

"Are you guys swearing to me as well?"

"Would you want us to?"

"Well it'd certainly get rid of my fear that Kol is trying to be the new Klaus…"

"It would make sense for us to declare our allegiance publicly. Make a good example for our new allies. Just means you have to drink a lot more blood."

"Wouldn't be the first time…" Finn reached over and kissed my forehead.

"I know my brothers can be boorish brutes but they have your best interests at heart. They're just not always particularly great at showing it."

"I know Finn."

"Rest. And think about the ceremony. It's scheduled to start at nine. You'll have to do the nasty stuff at midnight, but the attendees will probably bring a gift to honour you and your children so you'll need to be there. And beforehand you need to be purified… and we'll need some of your blood."

"So I need to make my decision by… three?"

"That's probably the best idea." He smiled and got up, reaching over and ruffling the wolf's ears. It growled under its breath but didn't lift its head. I guess Finn was on his list of people to tolerate.

I lay in bed, trying to work out what to do. I could hear the babies making noise and Rebekah dealing with them. I felt guilty. I'd not thought about them when I'd been drinking. They wouldn't starve, because we'd put some of my milk aside, but I really should have considered them…

If I did the ceremony, they'd be safer… I couldn't just think of myself, I had to consider them. As much as I hated the thought of being linked to every supernatural creature but really there was only one question I needed to think ask myself. Would this help the twins to be safer? Yes. Then I had to do it. Nothing else really mattered.

I considered this for a while, trying to see if there were any negatives that outweighed this one overriding positive. I couldn't think of anything. I got up and headed downstairs to find Freya. I hesitated in the hallway, hearing the voices from below. They were talking about me, discussing whether I was going to show up. I felt the urge to run back to my room and hide. No, I had to do this. For the girls.

"I'm here. What do I need to do?" I asked, coming into view. I noted the look of surprise on some of their faces.

"Well… Freya?" Elijah asked.

"We need to take some blood from you first, and then you'll need to be purified for the ceremony," she said. "Talk a saltwater bath, wave some sage around. Not a big deal."

"How much blood do you need?"

"About a pint. Everyone needs to drink some but it doesn't have to be much."

"Okay then. Who wants to open up my veins?"

"You really have a lovely way with words Elena," said Elijah.

"Well that's why you love me."

"Are you sure it's not because you're good in bed?" Kol chimed in, scowling at Elijah. I walked over calmly, picked up a glass off the table and chucked it at his head. He grabbed it out of the air before it hit him and looked over at me. I glared at him.

"I swear, if you make one more comment about my sex life Kol, I will make sure that you never have one again." I turned and headed back to the stairs. "Finn, will you do the honours?"

"Sure, I'm happy to help."

Finn followed me up the stairs. I went to my room while he retrieved the equipment to take my blood before joining me. He sat beside me as he carefully attached the tubing and needle.

"I wasn't entirely sure you were going to go through with it."

"There's still time for me to bail…" I watched the blood drip into the bag. "Kol isn't helping matters… what's with him? He's acting more insufferable than normal."

"He has a lot on his mind at the moment… I can't go into details."

"Well it's driving me nuts…" I settled into silence, just staring at the tubes with my blood running through them. I had a lot on my mind too but I wasn't setting out to be mean to him.

There was a knock at the door and Rebekah came in.

"Elena, you got a delivery." She held out a slim black box tied with red ribbon. "Secret admirer?"

"Just a… friend." I took the box and put it down. "Are we almost done?"

"Almost. Just a tiny bit more."

I closed my eyes and waited patiently as Finn continued to drain my blood. After a little while he finished and carefully removed the equipment, bandaging my wrist. He escorted me to the bathroom where Freya had filled the bath with saltwater. Candles were burning in a ring around the tub and a stick of sage was burning nearby. I undressed and climbed in, letting the water rise up over me. My headache had faded quite a bit and as I rested in the warm water it seemed to disappear entirely. I could do this. I could do this. I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing, trying to think pure thoughts. This was a good thing, this would ensure my children didn't have to run. They'd have people fighting for them. This could be our home.

I could do this. I had to.


	31. Chapter XXIX

I finished with my bath and got out. I searched my wardrobe for something to wear, not really sure what was appropriate. The door opened and Rebekah stuck her head in.

"I bought you a dress for the evening." She held out a hanger with an elegant purple gown attached.

"What would I do without you?"

"Look terrible." She hung the dress up on my wardrobe. "So… can I ask who your mystery gift giver is?"

"He's just a friend. I went out with him last night, got a bit drunk."

"And he's sending you fancy gifts?"

"He knew that the big ceremony was today and he decided to send me something. I think he's fairly wealthy so it's probably not a big deal to him." Rebekah went over to where I had left the box and opened it.

"Well… judging by this he likes you a whole lot." I looked over. She showed me the box which contained a beautiful necklace, an orangey-red stone in a silver setting, tiny rubies and garnets studded around the edge.

"Okay he may have got the wrong impression." Rebekah fished a note from the box and held it up.

"My dear Elena," she began in a dramatic voice. "Wear this and think of me. L. You think he might have the wrong idea?"

"He's a nice guy, okay?" I came over, took the note from her and closed the box. "The gift was overkill but he's just being sweet. I like spending time with him." I put the box inside my bedside drawer. "Nothing else."

"If you say so." She raised an eyebrow and headed to the door. "I'll see you downstairs."

She left the room. I slipped on my dress. It was beautiful, made of silk and Grecian in style. I went to the girls' room to get the twins. They squealed in delight and reached for me as I entered. They weren't that old and they were already so big.

"Hello my precious angels." I picked them up and got them dressed. "Tonight is a very special night for all three of us…"

I cradled them close and headed downstairs to the courtyard. Fairylights had been strung up and there were candles dotted around giving everything an ethereal quality. A small platform had been constructed with a large chair in the centre. My wolf was sitting beside the chair, a few others were dotted around, sprawled on the staircase and along the balcony. A table was set beside it with a bowl and a large knife and a brazier was on the other side that Freya was feeding with wood. A bar had been set up at one side of the room and I spotted a large metal bathtub tucked away in the corner. A shudder ran through me at the thought of what I was going to have to do later.

I sat in the chair with the girls on my lap to watch the final preparations. The boys wandered in slowly, all dressed smartly in suits. Finn produced the bag with my blood and filled a bowl with it, mixing a little with champagne which was poured and placed on trays for the servers. I chewed my fingernail, nervous.

Elijah approached me and I looked up.

"How do you feel?"

"Nervous. Sick. Still mildly hungover. And I think the throne was overkill."

"We're just trying to do this right." He hesitated. "Finn said you wanted us to partake in the ceremony as well?"

"Well… it would probably help people who think you're trying to take control of the city."

"Is that what you think we're trying to do?"

"It crossed my mind…"

Elijah sighed and went over to the bowl. He carefully sliced open his hand and let his blood drip into it.

"Satisfied?"

I looked away. This was beginning to feel more and more like a bad idea. I toyed with Lilah's hair and relaxed into my chair. The wolf huffed and gave me a look.

"Yeah I know, they're all assholes." He licked my hand in agreement. "Maybe tonight I'll finally find out where you came from. That'd be nice."

Elijah, who had gone over to the bar, checked his watch and nodded to Kol, who was stood by the door. He opened the gates to the courtyard and gestured for the servers to come and stand by the door. It didn't take long for the first guest to arrive. Marcel swept into the courtyard with a big smile on his face. I couldn't help but smile back. I'd got fairly close with him during my stay at his compound and I hadn't seen him since my return. He collected a glass of the tainted champagne from one server and another carefully smeared a dot of blood on his forehead.

"Elena!" He came over and bowed before the platform. "And these must be the two little princesses? They're adorable."

"Thank you. I have to say I was a little surprised to hear that you agreed to this. After all, you always say that this is your city."

"It still is. But if this is what's needed to keep you three safe and it maintains peace between factions, I'm all for it." He smiled. "I'll try and talk to you properly later. When you're not busy." He produced a small gift. "For you."

He set it on the step at my feet and turned to Freya who was hovering behind me. He handed her a small object, went to the bowl and sliced his hand, letting the blood mix with Elijah's in the bowl. Freya took whatever he had given her and threw it into the brazier which flared up.

Things continued in much the same way. The courtyard slowly filled as more people arrived, forming a line in front of my platform to present a gift, contribute something to the fire and add their blood to the mix. Most of them didn't talk, just nodded to me. I was beginning to get the feeling that being queen was just going to be really boring.

I recognized some of the people, mainly the vampires who were pretty much all from Marcel's compound, and some of the witches. The witches seemed the most reluctant to talk to me, although many of them seemed interested in the twins.

After a while, Kol shuffled up to the platform, looking at his feet.

"I didn't get you a gift." He said. "But I got these for the girls."

He produced two soft plush animals and handed them over, not looking at me. I smiled slightly as the girls immediately grasped hold of them. One was a toy wolf, the other a fox. He looked away and headed off to add his own blood to the mixture.

The line thinned and eventually ended entirely. I settled down to people watch, enjoying the relaxed nature atmosphere. Given the tension between the witches and vampires it was a pleasant change.

The doors swung open and in strode Jackson. A whisper ran through the crowd at his arrival. He smirked slightly and came up to the platform.

"Elena."

"Jackson. I see my cure worked."

"It did indeed." He smiled. "The rest of the pack wasn't comfortable coming into vamp territory. I'm sure you understand."

"I do."

"But you kept your side of the deal so I figured we should join in the festivities." He produced several small vials of blood which he added to the bowl along with his own. It was fairly full by this point.

"I'm glad you're here. I was wondering if you could off your opinion on something."

"Yeah?" I pointed to the wolf at my side. "He's been following me around since before I gave birth. I don't think he's a werewolf because he bit Kol and he's fine."

"I honestly have no idea… My pack was the only one stuck in wolf form and normal wolves aren't known for being super friendly to humans."

"He's definitely not normal…"

"I wish I could offer more help."

"It's fine. Thanks for coming."

He went off and mingled with the crowd, seeming to enjoy the stares people were giving him. I looked over at my wolf, feeling a little more unsettled by his presence than before. Who was he?

The clock struck quarter to twelve and Elijah stepped onto the platform.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we're nearing the time when we have to conclude our ritual. If anyone has yet to add to the spell, please could you do it now?"

The last few people came forward and added to the mix. Freya took the basin of blood, extinguished the brazier and raked the hot ashes into the mixture. Kol and Finn retrieved the bathtub from the side of the room and brought it into the middle. Elijah and Rebekah came over to me.

"Tonight we have gathered here to swear allegiance to Elena Gilbert. We have all offered a sacrifice of blood and received in return. We have all agreed to this of our own free will, to protect, to serve and care for Elena and her children as our new queen. If anyone objects to this, now is the time to speak."

No one spoke. Part of me silently wished someone would. Rebekah took the twins and Elijah offered me his hand. I took it, somewhat reluctantly, and he led me over to the tub. He unzipped my dress, letting it pool at my feet. The urge to throw up rose inside of me as everyone gathered around, staring at me. I climbed into the tub. Freya approached with the basin.

"A fény alatt a hold, ajánljuk az áldozat és megpecsételjük esküt. Mi ezt a nőt, hogy legyen a királyné megkent vér és tűz. Legyen minden jelen köteles őt most, amíg a halál. Hadd legyen a családja, az ő szolgái, az ő katonái, a barátai. Hadd séta mellé a sötétségben és a fény."

I closed my eyes, tensing as I waited for the inevitable.

"Vámpírok, boszorkányok és vérfarkasok, minden itt összegyűlt alatt egyesülve egy nő. Hagyja, hogy a királynő elmossa egykori élet és elfogadni ezt az új. A vér eggyé válik."

Thick cold liquid was tipped over my head. I grimaced and resisted the urge to cry out. It was cold and slimy and just so unpleasant. For the girls, for the girls...

I opened my eyes. Several of the vampires that had gathered had their fangs out, eyeing me with desire. It was probably a good idea to finish the ceremony quickly before their hunger got the better of them.

"A pecsét a paktum, hagyja, hogy a királynő inni a vér, és megteszi a közösség magát." Freya intoned. She held out a small crystal glass. I took it and bit my lip, unsure if i could do it. Yes i'd drunk blood before but that was different, i wasn't myself at the time. I took a deep breath, gagging as the coppery scent reached my nose. I tried not to think about it, lifting the glass to my lips. I tipped it back, trying to pour as much down my throat as i could without tasting it.

The flavour coated my throat and i paused, my breathing becoming ragged as i struggled to keep it down. I sought out familiar faces in the hall, watching me intently. Kol, looking the other way. Finn, his eyes sad. I forced myself to drain every single drop of liquid from that cup and when it was empty, i dropped it, doubling over as i surpressed my retching.

"Elena Gilbert," said Elijah. I lifted my head. There was more? "We stand here as the representatives of the supernatural factions of New Orleans."

There were four of them lined up. Elijah, Marcel, Jackson and a witch I didn't recognize.

"Do you promise to protect us as we protect you?" The witch asked. "To defend us as a queen should?"

"I promise." My voice was hushed, barely audible

"Do you promise to care for us as we care for you?" Jackson asked. "As not only a queen but as our family?"

"I promise." My voice grew louder.

"Do you promise to serve our community and our people as we serve you and yours?" Elijah asked.

"I promise."

"Do you promise to lay down your life for your people as we would for you?"

"I... I promise."

I felt a sharp stab of pain at my throat. My hand went to my neck and i felt fresh blood flowing through. I choked, blood on my tongue and running down my throat. I twisted slightly and saw Kol, knife in his hand. My eyes rolled back in my head and my body went limp. Darkness engulfed me.

* * *

When i woke up, the party was still going on. I'd been laid out on the platform, my wolf beside me. I was still naked but thankfully someone had carefully lain a sheet over me. I sat up, looking around. The twins were gone and i assumed that they'd been put to bed. Finn was sitting nearby.

"I thought you said i didn't need to get stabbed?" I demanded.

"Technically speaking, you didn't get stabbed."

"Technically speaking, if i stake you in the heart i've not killed you but you'll still die and it'll still fucking hurt."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know that that was part of it. Kol gave Freya the spell and he wouldn't let her say anything. They didn't want you to panic."

"You mean about having my throat slit open?" I glared out at the dance floor. "Is this thing almost over? I need to shower."

"Almost." He kissed my cheek. "You want a drink?"

"No thanks."

He got up and wandered off to talk with Freya. I rested my head on my arms. The wolf whined.

"You're right. I can't trust any of them it seems."

I stayed where i was sitting, wrapped in my sheet while the party continued. The clock struck and Elijah came up onto the platform once again. He cleared his throat and the room fell silent.

"Ladies and gentlemen. The night's festivities are coming to an end and i wanted to thank all of you for joining us and showing your support of Elena. And now, i would like to officially present to all of you," He offered his hand to me. I took it and he helped me up. "Elena Gilbert, Queen of New Orleans." There was a round of applause. "This is a very special moment for all of us. And i think it's also the perfect moment for me to ask Elena a very important question."

"If you're going to ask me to die for you again and slit my throat, you can forget it." A few people laughed. I noticed Kol standing near the platform, watching Elijah intently, with a look of pain on his face.

"Elena Gilbert." Elijah said. "You are beautiful, smart, fierce and... i love everything about you." He took something from his pocket and got down on one knee. "Will you marry me?"


	32. Chapter XXX

Elijah smiled at me, his eyes hopeful.

"What do you say Elena?"

"I… I…"

"What a lovely sentiment," said a voice from the door, one I knew. My head shot up and I turned. Dahlia was stood in the entrance to the courtyard, watching us.

"This is a private affair," said Elijah.

"Well I must have misplaced my invitation. After all, I'm family." Her eyes swept the room and landed on Freya who was cowering behind Finn. "My sweet Freya. I was worried about you."

"So you're the infamous Dahlia?" said Kol, strolling up onto the platform beside me.

"I am indeed. And you must be… Kol?

"I am. Father of one of those children that you seem so intent on taking away." He folded his arms. "And I'm telling you. Get out, now."

Dahlia laughed and didn't move.

"I second that," said Elijah. "You are not welcome here."

"Well give me what is mine and I'll leave." She shrugged. "And I promise no one will be hurt."

"You don't seem to understand Dahlia, you have no power here. This is our home and… as of tonight, Elena is our queen," said Finn, joining me and his brothers. "All she has to do is give the word and every single person in here will tear you apart. And I can only speak for myself but I will not be letting you take away those little girls. You took my sister away from me and I will die before I let you take away my nieces."

Dahlia locked her eyes on me and I saw the tension in her body, preparing to attack. She took a step towards me. As one, every person in the hall moved to stand between me and her. She froze and her glare intensified. She took another step and immediately the vampires darted forward, the witches raised their arms to stop her. Dahlia raised her own hand to counterattack, sweeping her eyes over the group. She seemed to think better of it and lowered her hand, stepping back.

"You got yourself a little army and you think that because you have a title you're above everything? You're not above this deal, Elena. I expect it to be upheld. I'm not a monster… so I'll give you… one week to say goodbye. And then I will return and I will slaughter anybody who gets in the way."

She turned and swept out. I buried my face in Elijah's shirt. He made a soft noise and gently prodded me. Oh right. Queen. Responsibilities. I turned and faced the gathered crowd.

"Umm… thank you all. For… that." I bit my lip, unsure of what to say. "I'm not going to lie to you about what is going on. That was Dahlia. She is one of the oldest witches in the world. She… she believes that she has a claim over my children. They are the firstborn of the vampires Kol and Elijah and the hybrid Klaus. Don't ask for how… I don't really understand it. But as the firstborn, they are naturally powerful. And along with the vampire and wolf blood… everything is stronger. But… they are children. They are my babies, they're not even a month old. And she wants to take them from me. From us." I paused. "I understand if this seems daunting. And… I know you're all here of your own free will and you chose to ally with me but… if you want to leave now, knowing what enemy we face, I won't hold it against you."

No one moved.

"Thank you. Okay, all the teenage witches, you go home. Same with anyone who has kids to take care of. Everyone else… report to Elijah, he will organize some kind of guard system. Marcel, you know the vampires better than anyone else, you help him." He nodded. "Jackson, you can't really do much in your current state so, head back to your pack."

There was a murmur of agreement and people began to depart. I looked at Elijah.

"Can you handle this? I need a shower and to hug my daughters."

"I… sure." I smiled slightly and headed upstairs. At least he wasn't pushing me for an answer. Given the circumstances, marriage was the last thing I wanted to think about.

I went to my room and set the bath to run. My wolf sat by the door, body tense.

"You don't need to guard me." I told him. He glanced over and remained where he was. I dropped the sheet. I noticed the wolf closed his eyes the moment my body was exposed. "Such a gentleman."

I went through to the bathroom and climbed into the bath. I watched as the water turned pink as the caked on blood began to flake and dissolve. I closed my eyes, trying to wrap my head around everything that had happened tonight. I knew I'd made the right choice now. I just hoped it would be enough to keep Dahlia away until I figured out a more permanent solution. I needed to talk to the spirits again, maybe Esther would be able to shed some light onto what

I ducked my head under the water and washed off the last of the blood, pleased to be clean again. I wrapped a towel around myself and went back into my room. I blinked, surprised. Kol was sitting on my bed, looking down at the floor.

"Kol…?"

"Please don't marry him…" he said softly, his voice barely audible.

"What?" I came closer. He lifted his head and looked at me. There were tears on his cheeks.

"Please… please Elena, don't marry him." I sighed.

"Kol… Priorities. There is a psycho witch trying to steal my children. I'm not marrying anyone right now."

"But you want to. Don't you? Of course you do… perfect Elijah… first choice for everything… He knew I was going to ask and he just had to get in there before I did…" I sat beside him.

"What are you talking about Kol?"

He pulled a small ring box from his pocket and pushed it into my hand.

"I was going to ask you to marry me. I tried to… days ago… when you first come back… I couldn't get it out. And I heard Elijah was going to… and… I knew you wouldn't pick me… that's why I've been such an asshole to you… I don't… I don't care if you're with Finn or Klaus or Elijah… I just… I care if you're not… with me."

I closed my eyes, breathing slowly.

"Kol, I care about you… a lot. But I can't deal with this right now. I have two children, a psychotic witch, and a city full of supernatural creatures that I'm now bonded with to deal with. Not to mention the fact that Klaus is still missing. I just… I need some time."

"Okay…" Kol shuffled to the door and left the room. I felt incredibly cruel. I'd never seen him look so defeated. I put on my pyjamas and padded down the hall to the twins room. They were curled up in their cots, sleeping peacefully. I carefully tucked their stuffed toys in beside them and brushed some of Lilah's hair from her face. I wouldn't let her have them.

I left the room and whistled softly. A few of the wolves came over and gathered in front of me.

"I want you guys to sleep in here tonight, okay? Keep an eye on them for me?" The wolves wagged their tails and trotted inside. I looked out at the courtyard and saw a few vampires dotted around, patrolling. One caught my eye. I nodded to him and returned to my room.

My wolf was sitting by the door still.

"Do you think you can guard me just as efficiently from the bed?" I asked, perching on the edge. He wagged his tail and came over to the bed. "Am I a bad person for not saying yes?" I played with his ears. "I do love Kol. And Elijah. I love them all in a very complicated way that I don't understand really. But there more important things going on right now. Like the girls. And if I'm honest… I don't want to pick."

I remembered what Katherine had said about the Salvatore brothers. _It's okay to love them both_. But... I couldn't… could I?

"Okay, no more romance. Not until I know the twins are safe. Now, shall we see if the ancestors want to chat?"

I got off the bed, turned out the lights and lit a candle. I sat on the floor and the wolf sat beside me. I closed my eyes, concentrating on my breathing.

"Is anyone there?" Silence. "Hello? Please… I need… guidance. If you're there, show yourself."

"My dear… all you needed to do was ask." I opened my eyes to see a beautiful redheaded woman kneeling on the other side of the candle.

"Hello… what's your name?"

"In the mortal world I was known as Genevieve."

"Right. Nice to meet you."

"Were you hoping for Esther?"

"No… she makes me a little uncomfortable if I'm honest."

"I can understand that. Now what is it you need?"

"I need to know how to stop Dahlia… I know that everything has a weakness… balance of nature and all that, nothing can be truly immortal… but I don't know what it is."

"You have all the tools you need Elena, you just have to work out how to put them together."

"Could you give me an answer that's not cryptic?" She laughed softly.

"I apologize. But in truth this is something you'll need to work out for yourself."

"Can you give me a clue?"

"The elements that forged Dahlia in life will also be her undoing."

"Anything else?" She shook her head. "Is there any answers you can give me?"

"That depends on what questions you want to ask." I looked at the wolf.

"Do you know where he came from?"

"I do indeed."

"So… where?"

She reached out and offered her hand to the wolf who sniffed.

"He is from our world."

"He's a ghost?"

"It's complicated. Not everyone who dies is trapped on the other side. Some find peace, some roam. Your wolf was in life a lycanthrope and in death he has assumed the form that he prefers. I don't know if that's peace for him or purgatory, but you should be grateful to have him at your side."

"That… does explain some things." The wolf whined and looked away. "It's okay buddy."

"I wish I could offer you more help."

"It's fine. These are my problems to deal with." I bit my lip.

"Problems have a way of finding those who involve themselves with the Mikaelsons. You would do your best to distance yourself from them."

"It's a bit late for that…" I looked down. "Thank you Genevieve. I hope to see you again."

"And you Elena. Think about what I said. I apologize I couldn't be more helpful."

"I'm surprised you guys are helping me at all. I know you're not fond of nature being out of balance."

"I will be honest, there are many who are not happy. But your children are a small blip on the grand scale of things and while their presence has caused a slight disruption, the unity that you have fostered between the people here far outweighs the negatives. We can allow two… loopholes to exist."

"Good to know. Goodbye."

I blew out the candle and Genevieve vanished. I turned on the lights and faced the wolf. He wagged his tail.

"So you're some old dead werewolf?" He jumped up onto the bed. "I don't know why you're here… but I'm glad you are." I sat on the bed beside him. "That's one mystery solved. Now I just need to work out what to do about Dahlia. And then… everything else."

I closed my eyes and curled up, arms around the wolf.


	33. Chapter XXXI

I woke up early and lay in bed. My eyes rested on the ring box Kol had left here the night before. I bit my lip, feeling guilty for what I'd said. I hadn't been cruel but I hadn't exactly been kind either. I knew eventually I was going to have to give Elijah an answer, and Kol as well. That thought scared me more than Dahlia did.

I sat up and picked up the ring box, turning it over in my hand. An idea began to form in my mind as I looked at it.

I got out of bed and put the ring back on the table before getting dressed. I looked at the wolf who was resting his head on his paws, watching me.

"Are you up for a little trip?" I asked him. He wagged his tail. "Good. Let's get the girls, they've been cooped up inside too long." He whined. "Yeah, I know Dahlia's out there. But I'm fairly sure she could get in here if she wanted to. I don't think the presence of walls are going to stop her."

I headed to the twins room. The wolves I'd instructed were still there, and they immediately tensed as I opened the door, relaxing when they saw it was me. I gave them an affectionate pat before going to my daughters. I took them downstairs to feed them. Kol and Elijah were both there, sitting on opposite sides of the room and I could see the tension between them. I ignored them both, fed the girls using the last of the milk I'd saved. The alcohol was hopefully out of my system with this point (particularly given the throat slitting from the night before) but I didn't want to risk it.

"I'm going out today," I said to no one in particular. "I'm taking the girls for a walk."

"Is that a good idea?" Elijah asked.

"Well clearly Dahlia can get in the house if she wants to. So staying locked inside achieves absolutely nothing. Besides, the streets are full of witches and vampires who are all sworn to protect me. And if you want, Rebekah can come with me. I'm only going to see Sophie."

"Why?" Kol asked.

"Because she's my friend. Do I need another reason?"

"If you're risking your life and the lives of our children, then yes."

"She is a witch and I want her to do a spell." I said simply. "And I need to go see Marcel about something."

"And why can't we come with you?"

"Because I just… I just need some time… girl time."

"Marcel is a girl?"

"No but I need to see him and ask him a question." I burped the twins and got up. I bundled them into their push chair and whistled for my wolf, who came dutifully to my side.

"Maybe get that mutt a leash," said Kol. "Or a handbag since he's basically your lapdog?"

I ignored him and left the courtyard, pushing the twins in front of me. I made my way down the street, immediately aware when two tall guys began to follow me, keeping their distance but still undeniably present. I glanced back at them and gave them a jaunty wave before heading to Marcel's compound.

I let myself in and went to the main room where Marcel was usually lurking.

"Marcel!" I called. "You home?"

He appeared in front of me.

"Your majesty. You making house calls now?"

"Please don't call me that. And I needed to ask you a question."

"Of course." He smiled at the girls. "May I?"

"Go ahead." He picked up Blair and rocked her gently. "So what can I do for you Elena?"

"I was wondering if you had any records of… werewolves in the city?"

"All the werewolves were driven out a long time ago."

"I know but when they were here, was there any records of them?"

"Not kept by me. There is someone who might be able to help you but he's not super helpful when it comes to vampires so you'd have to go alone."

"I'm basically a vampire. Just without the perks." He laughed softly.

"Try St Anne's Church. Ask for Father Kieran. If anyone can help you, he can." He handed Blair back to me and I strapped her in her seat. "Are you okay Elena? I mean… I know all this witch stuff is crazy but… I know that things with the Mikaelsons is never easy."

"It's tense. But I'm working with it. Same as always. Nothing brings a family together quite like a crisis." I gave Marcel a kiss on his cheek. "Also if you're going to have your guys follow me, do you think you could make it less obvious? People have been staring. I feel like I'm in the mob or something."

"I'll do my best."

I gave him a smile and headed out back onto the street. I decided to go to Rousseau's first to see Sophie and then try the church. I was hoping if I found a list of werewolves, I might be able to find out which of them was currently living at my side. I knew none of these tasks would help with the Dahlia situation but in my mind I felt if I dealt with these small problems it would make the larger problem go away or at least easier to deal with. At least they provided a sufficient distraction.

Rousseau's was fairly empty when I got there. It was early in the day so I didn't expect anything different. Cami wasn't in but Sophie was there, restocking the shelves behind the bar. She looked over as I entered.

"Hey Elena. And hello mini witches." I laughed softly. "Pretty crazy party last night."

"Yeah, sorry we didn't get to actually hang out. Between me getting my throat slit, Elijah proposing and Dahlia, it was all a bit hectic."

"It's fine. But I have to ask… did he get an answer?"

"Not yet… And to make matters worse, Kol also proposed. Kind of…"

"Shit. Who are you going to pick?"

"I… I don't want to think about it. There's no good ending to this situation, it's just going to end in pain." I rested my head on the bar.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out. And when you do, I want an invite. I've seen what they do for parties, I would kill to see what a Mikaelson wedding looks like."

"Sophie…"

"Yes?"

"I was wondering if I could ask you a favour…"

"Is this a magical favour?"

"Yes…"

"Didn't take you long to use your new found power did it?"

"I am not using my power. I am asking you for a favour as a friend. You can say no." She looked at me and perched on the edge of the bar.

"What's the favour?"

"You know the spell… the one that connected me to the Mikaelsons and…"

"Let you have undead vampire babies with them?"

"Yeah…"

"I'm aware of it."

"I was wondering if it would be possible, theoretically, to put it in an object. You know, like how there's daylight rings… would it be possible to have a connection ring…"

"Is this for your future undead husband?"

"Maybe…"

"I don't know if I should. I don't even know if I can."

"Would you be willing to try?" I bit my lip. "Ever since vampires came into my life, things have been… hard. I've had to give up… a lot. My family… my home… pretty much everything. And I know things will never be normal now. I may have had chances to change and become normal but that went away a while ago. And I just… I want a chance to have something semi normal. I need it. And I know there's every chance that I'll die trying to protect my girls from Dahlia but I need the hope to get through it all. So I'm asking you… Sophie, please will you try?"

She watched me for a long time before nodding slowly.

"Alright, I'll look into it at least. If you can try and remember the spell that they did the first time I might be able to adapt it from there."

"Thank you Sophie."

"I'm not promising results, just… effort."

"That's all I ask for."

"I suppose you'll be dashing off now you've asked what you need to?"

"No. I do have somewhere else to go but I just want to spend some time out of the house for a bit. Elijah and Kol are pretty unbearable at the moment… they're competing with each other… Finn's trying to smooth everything over but it's not working. And Klaus is still missing so I need to work out how to get him back."

"You're distracting yourself from the bigger issue."

"And you have been spending too much time with Cami, clearly."

"I will admit she is rubbing off on me a little bit."

"She working today?"

"No, she… she's taking some time off. There was a… incident the other night."

"What kind of incident?"

"Vampire. She caught him feeding in the alley out back, mistook the situation and tried to intervene. He compelled her but there was a bit of a scuffle when she tried to fight him off and she bashed her head. We decided it might be best for her to take some time off."

"Was this… the night before last?"

"It was…"

"I think I know the vampire in question. Or at least I came here the night before last and there was a vampire hanging around outside." Sophie narrowed her eyes.

"Did you break in and drink up most of the vodka?"

"Umm…" I heard the door opening and closing and the wolf made a noise at my feet but I ignored it, looking down at the bar so I wouldn't have to meet Sophie's eye.

"You did!"

"Technically it wasn't me doing the breaking! I just… followed him in."

"Elena!"

"I'm sorry, I know I'm a terrible person but I was upset and he was there and I really needed the vodka and I got so drunk and I couldn't think straight."

"You owe me big time for that!"

"Actually, I believe I owe you." I looked up sharply and turned to see Lucien standing nearby. He smiled. "Hello Elena."

"Hey Lucien."

"So you're the bastard who broke in?"

"I am indeed. How much do I owe you? $300 cover it?" He fished his wallet from his pocket. "Here. I believe this will cover the alcohol and repairs to your door…" He dropped a wad of notes on the bar.

"Well thank you but you can go drink somewhere else."

"I didn't come here to drink, I came here because I heard Elena's beautiful voice and I heard how the party ended last night. I wanted to make sure she was okay."

"I'm fine. Nothing happened, it was just a bit scary."

"I was talking about the ever so dramatic Elijah Mikaelson proposing. Very theatrical. I almost wish I'd shown up."

"How did you hear about it so quickly?"

"I have my ways." Sophie sighed.

"Elena, I'm sorry but I need to get back to work and as long as he's hanging around you…"

"I get it. I'll go. Thanks for your help Sophie, I'll see you later." I got up and wheeled the twins outside into the open air. Lucien followed. "Thank you for your gift by the way. It was lovely… but a bit overkill."

"I like to make an impression."

"You certainly did that. I've got Rebekah asking me if I have a secret admirer now."

"Ooh I like that idea. I could send you flowers… really stir things up."

"Don't you dare!" He grinned.

"I'll think about it. So where are you off to?"

"I'm going to St Anne's Church."

"You have sins to confess?" He raised an eyebrow. "Are they interesting? Lustful dreams about me?"

"You wish."

"I do indeed." He smiled. "Are these the little ones then?"

"No, I'm just wheeling two strangers' kids around town."

"Okay fair point."

"Shouldn't you be working? Your company can't run itself."

"I am CEO, I can do whatever I like. But… technically, I am working today. I was just running out to get an early lunch and I heard your voice."

"A really early lunch."

"Brunch then."

"So you won't be joining me in an attempt to corrupt me and drive me down a path of debauchery?"

"Not today at least. I'll walk you to the church and then I'll have to get back to business." I smiled and turned down a side street that I thought led to the church. The wheel of the pushchair caught on the pavement and refused to budge.

"Son of a…"

"You need a hand?"

He carefully lifted up the stuck wheel and helped me up onto the pavement. I smiled gratefully and looked around, trying to work out exactly where I was. I spotted a woman standing nearby, staring at me. I frowned.

"Something wrong?" Lucien asked.

"I'm not sure." He followed my gaze. The woman was still staring. He took a step towards her. She immediately turned away and began walking.

"That was… odd."

"Welcome to my life."

We continued down the road towards the church. As we walked, I noticed more and more people stopping and staring at us. I bit my lip and gripped the pushchair tighter, my knuckles turning white. Lucien reached over and gently touched my hand, giving me a reassuring look. We picked up our pace, moving quicker.

Further up the road, the people gathered, forming a line in front of us. We stopped. I looked back and saw another line of people behind us, hemming us in. The wolf growled.

"Five days." The people spoke as one, one voice. "Five days"

"You are not taking my children Dahlia!"

"Five days and I will take what is mine."

Lilah started to cry. I felt tears in my own eyes and I screwed them shut, trying to block out the words. Lucien placed a hand on my arm.

"Elena… Elena, they're gone."

I opened my eyes. They were gone, as if they were never there. I hurried round to the front of the pushchair, picking up Lilah and rocking her.

"It's okay… I won't let her take you… I won't let you hurt her…"

I cradled my baby and wiped a few angry tears from my eyes as she fell silent. I kissed her forehead and carefully tucked her back in her pushchair before turning to Lucien who was watching me.

"Sorry… You should go… i… I need to get finish and get home."

"Elena… if you need me, I'm here…"

"Not your mess, don't worry about it."

"Maybe I want it to be." I looked away, not sure what to say. Lucien didn't speak and when I looked back, he was already gone. I took a deep breath and headed onwards to the church. I kept checking over my shoulder, expecting to see Dahlia or one of her minions watching me.

I reached the church and carefully pushed the door open, wheeling the twins inside. Even though I wasn't religious, I felt like maybe this place would help me get some clarity.

A tall man in a cassock was lighting candles at one end of the room and he looked up as I entered.

"We're not actually open."

"Oh… sorry… I just… I thought you might be able to help me." He sighed softly.

"We may not be holding services but… I am always here to help those in need." I smiled slightly and came over with the twins, stopping a few feet from him. He glanced at the girl and the wolf who was still at my side. "Although strictly speaking we don't allow animals inside."

"Right. I forgot he was there." I turned to him. "Go wait outside."

The wolf huffed but padded back down the aisle between the pews and sat by the door.

"He is… remarkably well trained."

"We have a connection." I sat in the nearest pew. "I need… guidance."

"What about?"

"I… I only became a mother recently. And I'm worried that… I'm not good enough. For them."

"Motherhood brings many challenges. No one is truly prepared to be a parent and anyone who says otherwise is lying."

"Do you have kids?"

"No, I never found the time. But I took care of my nephew for a long time. But I have spoken to many mothers with similar fears to yourself."

"My circumstances are… a little different."

"How so?" I bit my lip, unsure where to go with this.

"I was actually… told to come here… by Marcel Gerard."

"Ah. But you're… not…"

"A vampire?"

"Exactly."

"I'm not. I know a lot of them. In fact… my kids are part vampire." He looked away.

"You're the new 'queen' of the city."

"Oh god I wish people would stop calling me that." I bit my lip. "Sorry, I probably can't say that can I?"

"I think we can overlook it this one occasion." He looked over at me. "I was expecting you to be…"

"Less human? Older? Scarier?"

"Most of those, yes."

"Well this is me. I have all this stuff to deal with and I have no idea to be a mother. I've got an ancient witch trying to steal my children, a family of vampires who all seem to be bipolar and a dead werewolf who follows me around."

"These might be a little out of my area of expertise. Did Marcel just send you here for advice?"

"No, I asked if there was anyone who might have a list of all the werewolves who've lived in town."

"Oh. Yes I do have that."

"Can I… borrow it?"

"I think given the circumstances I can arrange that." He smiled slightly. "And while I might not be the best to offer guidance I can certainly try." We both got to our feet. "I'll have that list sent over to you."

"Thank you Father."

"You're welcome."

"I might be able to help with some other things as well… I need time to investigate first." I smiled slightly.

"I appreciate the effort." I did. These days, it was all I could ask for, that people try. Even the smallest gesture felt particularly meaningful in these dark days.


	34. Chapter XXXII

**A/N: Today I was at a different place to my normal work doing stuff that I am not built for so my arms ache way too much for typing! But I love you guys so that's why I stay awake till 3am to write and why I'm enduring this ache.**

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I took the long route home, despite my paranoia I had no desire to return to the tension of the house. When I eventually did get back, I found an envelope waiting for me from the priest. I smiled and tucked it under my arm to read later.

Elijah took the twins from me and I didn't protest. Instead I just hurried out of the room, eager to be away from his sad eyes. I knew he was waiting for an answer, one that I couldn't give. Not yet anyway.

I went up to my room and sat on the bed. I opened the envelope. It contained several sheets of paper with lists of names. I looked at the wolf.

"Let's see if we can give you a name shall we?"

He wagged his tail. I began to read from the lists, pausing to see if he reacted in any way. He sat silently, watching me. I read through the entire list and he didn't make a single noise.

"None of these? Just how old are you?"

He wagged his tail. I sighed. It looked like I was never going to find out where he came from.

I got a notebook and wrote down a list of everything I needed to resolve. Number 1, work out exactly who my wolf friend was. It wasn't urgent but it was really starting to bug me. Number 2, try to remember as much of the spell as I could to give to Sophie. Number 3, find Klaus. Not only did I want him back, I was hoping that his presence might distract Kol and Elijah from me. In the meantime, number 4. Distract Kol and Elijah, try and relieve some of the tension. Number 5, and most importantly, find a way to stop Dahlia.

I put my list on the bedside table. I could start with one of those tasks already. Freya was a witch, she could do a locator spell and find Klaus. Then I just had to go there and work out how to turn hellbeast Klaus into his normal hellish self.

I got up and went to Freya's room, knocking lightly.

"Come in."

I opened the door and went in.

"Hey Freya… I was wondering if you could do me a location spell?"

"To find Klaus?"

"Yeah…"

"I was waiting for you. I already have everything I need." She got a few items ready and started setting things up. I sat on the floor opposite and helped light candle.

"Why didn't you do it before?" I asked, curious.

"I knew you guys had tension and I wanted to make sure you were comfortable before I found out where he was and tried to get him back."

"He's your family."

"So are you. I mean, you're the mother of nieces and my brothers are in love with you. And he was always mean to me while he was with Dahlia. You were nice. You let me come with you even though you knew it might be a risk. I appreciate that"

"Only two of your brothers are in love with me," I muttered.

"We'll have to agree to disagree on that," said Freya. She spread a map out in front of us and took a handful of black sand from a small bowl. She offered me her other hand and I took it, closing my eyes and visualising Klaus in my head.

"Vinde val tratunderes. Vinde val tratunderes," she began to chant. I kept the image in my head, blocking out everything else. "Vinde val tratunderes. Vinde val tratunderes _"_

I opened my eyes and watched as Freya trickled sand over the map. It seemed to vibrate and flitted over the addresses before the sand formed a circle around a single location.

"Is that it?"

"It is." She wrote down the address. "When are you going to find him?"

"Tomorrow morning. I can't see in the dark and Klaus can so if he wants to keep hiding he's got an advantage."

"Don't go alone. Dahlia really did mess with his mind, he might be dangerous."

"Well if he eats me, then I won't have to deal with all my other problems." I got up. "Thank you for helping Freya."

"Anytime."

"I don't suppose… you know any way to get rid of Dahlia?"

"I know that there is meant to be a spell that will render her mortal. But it requires items that we don't have."

"What are those?"

"Dirt from her homeland. The ash of her oppressors. And the blood of the one she loved the most." I considered this for a moment.

"And this would kill her?"

"No, it would just make her mortal. So that she could be killed."

"Who were her oppressors?"

"Vikings. Like my father."

"Oh. Him."

"I'm guessing from that he didn't make a good impression?"

"That's putting it mildly…"

"He wasn't always like that. He used to be sweet before I was taken." I made a noncommittal noise and decided to change the subject.

"Do you think you'd be able to get dirt from her homeland…? I mean, that's got to be fairly easy to get. Compared to the other stuff anyway."

"Probably. But one out of three isn't enough."

"Leave the other things to me. I think I can sort it." My voice sounded more confident than I actually felt.

"Alright…" Freya didn't seem particularly convinced.

I took the scrap of paper with the address on and left the room. I checked the paper, reading the address and was surprised to see that I recognized it. It was the house Mikael had held me, the one that had belonged to the siblings. That worked out nicely.

I didn't return to my bedroom, instead I went to Elijah's and, after a moment's hesitation, I knocked on the door.

"Come in?"

I let myself into the room. Elijah was sitting on his bed, reading and he seemed surprised to see me.

"Hey… you busy?"

"I always have time for you." I came over and sat on the bed beside him. "No wolf tonight?"

"I left him in my room."

"I hardly think that it's fair that that animal gets to spend not only every day with you but also gets to sleep in your bed."

"Well he doesn't take up as much space as a man does." I was going to say something else but Elijah reached over and kissed me softly. I kissed back before pulling back.

"I'm not here for that. I needed to ask you something."

"Okay…?"

"What happened to Mikael's body? After he died?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I need it. Don't ask why." After witnessing Dahlia's mind control of the people on the street and knowing how she'd messed with Klaus' mind, I was worried that if I revealed too much of the idea that I had in mind she'd dig into someone's head and find out. "So, did you bury him? Or leave him to rot?"

"Well, obviously Klaus daggered us before we could deal with the remains. And I can't imagine him burying him."

"Great…" That complicated matters a little. But I could work with it. It just meant I had to do something a little… risky. I got up to leave but Elijah touched my risk.

"You still haven't given me an answer…"

"I know…"

"If you don't want to then just… say so."

"It's not that. I love you Elijah, I do but I've got bigger concerns right now. I can't think about myself or about you, I have to focus on the girls. Just… give me some time, okay?"

"Okay… I'll wait for you Elena. I'll wait for eternity if I have to… although I hope it doesn't take that long."

I felt bad. I knew Elijah cared about me, he was invested in me emotionally and all he wanted was to hear that one word that I couldn't say even if I wanted to.

I left the room and went back to my bedroom. The wolf lifted his head, half hidden under my covers. I watched him for a moment. I needed to do something and I had a feeling he wasn't going to be happy about it.

"I think you should go wait in the bathroom," I told him. He yawned and feigned sleep. "Fine but you're not allowed to interfere."

I considered tying him up just to make sure but I decided to trust him. If I wanted him to trust me, I had to show I trusted him.

I got a candle and a letter opener. I put the candle on the ground beside me but didn't light it. I wasn't doing it in a formal way like when I'd summoned Genevieve. I wasn't fishing for witches this time. Witches liked the light but for this, I needed darkness.

I lay down on the floor and carefully cut my palms. The wolf whined and moved slightly. I gave him a warning look to stay in place. I rested my hands on the ground, palms resting against the boards. I closed my eyes. I relaxed, feeling the darkness rise up around me, letting it swallow me.

"Mikael…" the word was barely audible. I just hoped it would be enough to get his attention. I stayed quiet, waiting patiently. If he was there, he would come, I was confident of that.

I didn't have long to wait. I felt the faintest chill in the air. I didn't move, waiting. I had the sensation of cold fingers running softly along my arm. The wolf growled. I waited until the sensation pulled back and opened my eyes. I sat up slowly.

"Hello Mikael." I couldn't make out any features, just the shape of him in the shadows.

"Elena. I was surprised to hear from you."

"It's not a social call. I hope I didn't disturb your afterlife."

"Not at all."

"Have you been spying on me from the other side as well? Your wife certainly has."

"I can't deny I've looked in." I was beginning to get more and more uncomfortable with the idea that a bunch of dead people were watching me.

"Then maybe you know why I called you."

"You want me to find my body for you."

"Yes, I do."

"Now why should I do that? You did kill me after all."

"Technically speaking I only killed myself." I bit my lip. "Please. My children are in danger."

"Ah yes, the spawn you beget with my sons." His lip curled into a sneer. "Abominations like Niklaus."

The wolf leapt up from the bed and moved between me and Mikael, snarling.

"Down!" I ordered him. He growled and stayed where he was. Mikael eyed him with distaste.

"You lie with beasts now?"

"Eww. Do you even think about the things you say before you say them?" I nudged the wolf with my foot, trying to step round him. He refused to budge, glaring at Mikael. "Look, I need your help…"

"I will help you by ending your miserable existence before you can create anymore abominations."

"You're dead Mikael, you can't hurt me."

"You think so?" He strode forward and even though I was sure he couldn't touch me, I backed away instinctively. "Then why do you run?"

"I'm a girl. I'm conditioned to run away from advancing angry men."

"The thing is Elena, I am only dead because of you and the connection forged between us. But that doesn't mean that you are safe." His hand shot out and wrapped around my throat. I gasped as his hand tightened, cutting off my oxygen. The wolf snarled and lunged forward, sinking his fangs into Mikael's leg. Mikael barely reacted, his face growing anger and he kicked out, trying to dislodge the animal.

"They're your grandchildren. They've got part of you in them!" I choked out the words, clawing at Mikael's hand. He clenched my throat tighter before pulling back abruptly. I fell to the floor. The wolf ran over to me and licked my cheek, running his eyes over me to make sure I was okay.

I got to my feet, rubbing my throat.

"I know you don't like me but I am just trying to protect my children. Something you can understand. I want to protect them from the same monster who took your own daughter from you." He flinched slightly. "Yes. Freya. She's alive. You were told she died but Esther lied. She was traded for your other children, your sons and Rebekah. And she was kept by Esther's sister, enslaved by a power hungry witch who wants to do the same to my children. So please… please Mikael. Help me."

He looked at me for a minute and his resolve seemed to be weakening.

"You once said if I needed you, you would be there. I know that was just part of your trickery but… I need you."


	35. Chapter XXXIII

**A/N: Is anyone actually reading this? Well if you are, we're in the final stretch. I'm planning for a total of 40 chapters, including the preface and epilogue. I do have a sequel planned (also started) but not sure if I'll post it (by the response to this story compared to the first one, I stand by my opinion that I suck at sequels).**

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I set off early the next morning with a shovel in my hand. I had fed the girls and put them back to bed before slipping out. No one was up yet so I was able to leave without a fuss.

I headed out to the plantation house. I decided to deal with Mikael first since I felt that he wouldn't be too cooperative with Klaus in tow. We'd come to a reluctant understanding the evening before and he'd agreed to direct me to his body, if only so he could get some kind of revenge on the woman who'd taken his daughter. If Dahlia hadn't been such a bitch, I might have felt sorry for what was waiting on the other side for her.

I waited until we'd got out of the town before allowing Mikael to appear. I had a level of control over his appearances I'd learned. As long as I concentrated on blocking him out, even if he was there, he faded away and, presumably, couldn't hurt me like that. I let my concentration lapse and he faded into focus. The wolf, who was at my side naturally, growled automatically. I gave him a look. He fell silent.

"That beast seeks to challenge me."

"Well you did try and kill me. And he's oddly attached to me."

"You are like Niklaus. He too had a ridiculous obsession with the forest beasts. It was that that got his brother killed."

"I don't have an obsession with wolves. They just happen to like me. Which is something I cannot control." He made a noise of disdain. "Look, let's just find your body. Then I can get on with protecting my kids and you can go back to being dead."

We reached the plantation and I leant against a tree, waiting expectantly. I hoped we'd be able to find the body before there was any sign of Klaus. Mikael looked at me, face impassive.

"Okay… where is it?"

"It is nearby."

"What is it with you ghosts? Does dying automatically turn you into someone who can only speak cryptically?" I sighed and closed my eyes. "Please, tell me where your body is so we can be done?"

He didn't reply but I heard the soft sound of footsteps on the grass so I assumed he was showing me. I opened my eyes and followed him. He led me through the orchard to the more wild area behind.

"You died in the orchard, how did you end up out here?"

"The boy decided that my being dead was not enough for him." He reached a clearing with a large wooden structure in the middle. I could see something tied to it and as we neared, a putrid smell hit me.

"Oh god… is that…?"

"Indeed." Mikael strolled over as if it was no big deal. I followed hesitantly. The wolf whined and stayed at the edge of the trees, looking almost fearful.

I almost threw up when I got nearer the body. The Louisiana sun had not been kind to him. It was rotten beyond recognition, almost mummified in places as the heat had sucked the moisture from his limbs. None of the animals had touched it, even the flies avoided it. The smell was repulsive.

"I believe his hope would that the wolves I despised in life would feast on me in my death."

"I think I'm going to be sick…"

"Spare me the theatrics. Just burn my body and be done with it."

I fished a lighter from my pocket and flicked it open. I held it out towards the body, hesitant. The idea of getting too close to it really didn't appeal. I felt queasy, a bubbling twisting sensation in the pit of my stomach.

"I don't know if I can…"

"If you want to protect your children, you have to put aside everything else. You cannot feel fear, you cannot let your personal feelings overwhelm you. You live to protect them, to fight for them. You are a soldier and you can only think about your goal." He spoke with an incredible fierceness, it was surprising. I'd never heard him speak about his children with anything but disdain.

I took a deep breath, stepped forward and held my lighter to the dry leathery skin. It caught quickly and the corpse began to burn. It smouldered slowly at first before the fire built. I went over to where my wolf was and sat beside him, watching the body burn. Mikael remained where he was, looking at the body sadly.

We remained there for several hours until the body burned itself out. I gathered the ashes in a small pouch and pocketed them. When I lifted my head, Mikael had vanished. I was grateful for his help, so rather than just leaving, I gathered up the few bits that remained and buried them. He wasn't a good person but he'd helped me. And he deserved better than being strung up here.

I headed back to the plantation house. I had no idea where Klaus might be but I figured it would be best to try the house and its gardens first, since that was the address that had been circled when Freya did her spell. I looked at the wolf and petted him gently. He still didn't look completely normal. Something about Mikael's body had really upset him.

"Do you think you can find him?" I asked. I hadn't thought to bring anything of Klaus' with me but since he usually understood me, or at least acted like he did, I figured he'd be able to work out what I wanted and find something that smelled out of place.

He wagged his tail and put his nose to the ground, snuffling at the dirt. He headed to the house and nudged the door, which swung open easily. When I got closer, I could see that the handle had been broken. I followed the wolf inside, slowing as I entered the dark hallway. I could see deep grooves had been scratched into the walls and floors as if an animal in a fierce rage had passed through.

We followed the trail of damage which only grew worse the further inside we went. The furniture, previously covered with sheets had been destroyed and was strewn around the rooms. The wolf led me upstairs and went to the room that had been mine. He sat outside the door and looked at me expectantly. The door had been ripped off its hinges and was propped up against the frame. I pushed gently and it fell to the ground with a loud bang. From the depths of the room came a soft growl. My heart beat faster but I ignored it and stepped inside. This room wasn't as badly damaged as the rest of the house. A light layer of feathers covered the floor, a shredded pillowcase discarded in the corner. Sheets, blankets and even shreds of curtain and carpet had be piled up on the middle of the bed, forming a nest of sorts. I noticed the clothes I'd abandoned last time in the pile as well. I took a step towards it and the nest moved as something inside it stirred. I squinted. I could see a fur, curled up in a ball. As I watched, a pair of gold eyes opened, focusing on me.

"Klaus…?"

He made a soft noise and got to his feet, stretching. He prowled off the bed and came towards me. I grimaced at the sight of his malformed body. He padded over and gently nuzzled my hand.

"Hey buddy. I missed you."

My wolf stepped forward, sniffing at Klaus. Klaus growled softly. The wolf whined and tried to lick Klaus' muzzle. I raised an eyebrow.

"Klaus, this is my friend. Please don't kill him." I petted them both, trying to prevent any fighting. "Are you ready to come back? I really need you." He looked away. "Things aren't good at home. Dahlia's after the twins. She said that she'll come back and kill anyone who tries to stop us." He still wouldn't look at me. "Oh and Elijah proposed to me. And so did Kol."

His head shot up. I folded my arm.

"Seriously? That gets a reaction but you ignore the fact that your psycho aunt is trying to kidnap my children?" He looked a little sheepish. "I don't care what gets you home, but please… I need you to come home with me."

He turned away and made to head back to his nest. My wolf pounced on him, pinning him easily despite Klaus' side. He growled and bit hard on Klaus' ear. Klaus snarled and shook before falling still. I got the sense that they were communicating silently.

Eventually, the wolf stepped back. Klaus stood up and turned back to me, head down.

"You're going to come back?" He nodded. "Well, we should probably try and get you back to your normal self."

The three of us headed outside. I had no idea how to get Klaus back to his normal self. I'd originally thought that I could use the same technique that I'd used on Elijah but since he was clearly in his right mind it wasn't a matter of snapping him out of it. I sat down on the grass to think. The wolf lay beside me, resting his head on my lap. Klaus growled softly.

"I don't know what to do. I think… it's one of those things you'll have to do yourself." He whined. "But I promise I'll stay here and wait until you do."

I lay back on the grass with Klaus on one side and the wolf on the other. I played with their fur gently and closed my eyes. It was warm and a gentle breeze stirred my hair. The three of us lay together for a long time. At first I talked. I talked about the important things, what Klaus had missed. I talked about nonsense, little things that I'd seen on the street, about my friends, about the family. Eventually the talk faded to nothing and I lay there in silence for a while. I hummed softly under my breath, a faint lullaby. The sun was so warm and everything felt so peaceful, I couldn't help but doze off.

* * *

When I woke up, I could feel that something had changed. The sky was dark, the stars out. The air had cooled off considerably and a shiver ran across my skin. There was no longer the gentle warmth of the two furry bodies either side of me. One was still there but the other had been replaced. A light weight was draped across my chest and I realized that a pair of arms were encircling me. I sat up slowly and smiled.

"Klaus…" He was asleep, naked, legs entangled with mine, and when I tried to wake him, he groaned and curled up tighter. I looked at the wolf who was watching me. "I guess it took a lot out of him."

I carefully untangled myself from him. I knew I couldn't get him home on my own. I got my phone from my pocket and after a moment's consideration, I dialled Finn's number. He'd rescue me.

"Elena?"

"Hey, I'm at the plantation house where Mikael held me. I've got Klaus, come and get me."

"Okay." He hung up. I frowned. His voice had sounded strange, colder somehow.

I sat and waited. Eventually the car pulled up on the plantation driveway. Finn came out of the car and helped me load Klaus into the back of the car. He didn't say a word the entire time. I got in the back with Klaus while the wolf climbed into the front passenger seat. I played with Klaus' hair, happy to have him back. Finn got in the driver's seat and set off

"Are you okay…?" I asked after a few minutes of driving in silence.

"Yes," he said stiffly. I got the impression that he was very much not okay but I decided not to push it.

We drove home. I got out of the car and headed inside. I'd only made it a few steps into the courtyard when Kol and Elijah appeared in front of me. I braced myself for a lecture from Elijah but to my surprise it was Kol who stepped forward and grabbed hold of my arms.

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?" he roared. I flinched and tried to pull back. I'd never seen Kol act like this and it was terrifying.

"I… I…"

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED WE'VE BEEN? WE THOUGHT DAHLIA HAD TAKEN YOU! WE THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE DEAD! YOU CANNOT KEEP DOING THIS ELENA!" I pulled back sharply.

"I went to get Klaus. Since everyone else seemed to have forgotten about him."

"Oh no," said Kol. "You do not get to play that card! You choose to do this Elena, you choose to make yourself a martyr and do all of this yourself. You could have asked any of us for help but you didn't want to! And I know you're going to turn round and say that we can't tell you what to do or where you can and can't go and you're right. Ordinarily I love it, I love your empowered thing, I am woman hear me roar and all that crap but you can't keep running off and not telling us where you're going. We have children! We need to know you're safe! We need to know you've not been kidnapped or killed! That's common courtesy!" The wolf growled at my side. "AND YOU CAN SHUT UP TOO!"

He turned and stormed off. I looked down at my feet. Elijah didn't say anything, just sighed and followed Kol. Finn, carrying Klaus, paused beside me.

"Nice work Elena. You wanted them to stop giving you attention and fighting with each other, you succeeded." He walked off, dragging Klaus' unconscious body.


	36. Chapter XXXIV

**A/N: I finally finished the terrible essay that has been bugging me. I have another one due on the 21** **st** **but I'm going to take a few days to chill which, since I have no social life,means fanfiction! Yaaay…**

* * *

I felt terrible. I went up to my room and curled up in my bed. The wolf snuggled up with me, trying to offer up some semblance of comfort to me. I held him close. I felt like such a failure. I was trying, I really was but I couldn't do it. I wasn't strong enough for this. I could barely take care of myself and that was before you took into account the supernatural crap. Add in the twins and the Mikaelsons and it was nearly impossible. I'd been so focused on one thing, I'd not realised how selfish I was being. I'd screwed up.

The lights in the room went out. I groaned and sat up.

"Now is not the time!"

"Actually, I believe now is the perfect time." Esther. Joy. I looked around the room, trying to locate her which was difficult given the lack of light. I eventually spotted her standing at the foot of my bed with her hands on her hips.

"Esther, please. My life is falling apart, I don't have time for cryptic warnings."

"I'm not here to give you warnings. I'm here to help."

"With what? Dahlia? Your sons hating me? Being a generally shitty person?"

"I can offer you help with Dahlia. But I won't."

"Did you come here just to tell me you're not going to help me?"

"I will help you but you need to do something first."

"And what's that?"

"Make. Amends." She came round to the side of the bed and perched on the edge. "It is rare for my sons to care for anyone, particularly to this extent. You would do well to apologize and make peace with them. While you still have the chance."

"If I do this, will you tell me how to get the blood of the witch that broke Dahlia's heart?"

"I will. But that is not why you should do it. You should do it because it is what is right and because you care for them."

"Did you apologize for everything you did to them?"

"I have only ever tried to care for my children and do what is best for them." I sighed softly.

"Fine, I'll make amends. Can you leave me be for a bit, I need to cry and eat ice cream before I can even consider facing them." She sighed softly and vanished, the lights coming on once again.

I rested my head in my hands. The wolf licked my hand.

"Thanks. At least you're on my side." I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. "Right. I need a plan. If I can make Dahlia mortal, I still have the problem of her being way too powerful. Anyway I try to attack her, in my head it just ends with a bunch of dead people. And that's if we can make her mortal. There's no way she'd walk into a trap…"

The wolf yawned and rolled onto his back.

"Well you're no help," I said, rubbing his belly. "For someone who's meant to be a werewolf, you act a lot like a golden retriever." He gave an affronted grunt but didn't move, too comfortable. I considered him for a moment and something dawned on me. I pulled out my phone and checked the dates. Yes… that might actually work. But I couldn't do anything tonight so I lay down again and decided to try and sleep.

However, after tossing and turning for a while it became apparent that wasn't going to happen. I sighed and got up. Clearly my body wasn't going to let me off the hook as easily as Esther had. I left the room and went to Kol's room. He had seemed the angriest, I decided to start with him.

I knocked lightly on his door. No answer. I frowned and listened intently. I could hear the faintest sounds of voices coming from the living room. Oh great. I wasn't going to be able to do them one by one, I was going to have to face them all by the sounds of it.

I reluctantly trudged to the living room and, after a moment of hesitation outside the door, went inside. Elijah and Kol were sitting on the sofa together, Finn in a nearby armchair. Everyone fell silent.

"Hi…" I said quietly, looking at my feet.

"Elena," said Finn stiffly. "You're up late."

"I couldn't sleep. I… I wanted to apologize. I shouldn't have gone out without telling you where I was going. I should have called earlier at least. I can't undo it but I am very sorry. I know I've been kind of a bitch lately. I'm not used to all of this, being a mother, being… whatever we have here. It's all new and I'm scared."

"You think we're not scared Elena?" said Elijah. "We lost you once before, we don't want it to happen again. And we certainly don't want to lose those two little girls."

"It was wrong of us to put you on the spot about the marriage thing," said Kol. "We've been selfish as well, we put too much pressure on you. And… we can't really preach about honesty when we have kept things from you before."

I stayed looking at my feet, still feeling ashamed. Elijah sighed softly.

"Come here Elena." He heled out his arms. I came over and curled up in the space between Elijah and Kol who both held me close.

"We really just want what's best for you, Elena," said Finn. "We're just... please remember that we were raised in a very different time."

"I understand. And… it's not that I didn't want your help with Klaus and everything. I wasn't trying to be a martyr. I… there was an incident yesterday. Dahlia took over the minds of a bunch of people… I figured if I told you what was going on, there was more chance of her tapping into your mind and finding things out."

"You can't deal with this alone," Elijah said firmly. "There's got to be a way to minimize the risk and ensure that we all communicate."

"Do you have an actual plan?" Finn asked.

"I have… something in mind."

"Well," said Kol, getting up and disappearing into the study. He returned with a small stack of paper, a pen and some envelopes. "This is what we'll do. Elena, you give us each a task. You don't tell us what this task is for in the grand scheme of things. You don't tell us why or what anyone else is doing. That way, if she tries to get in our heads, none of us know what is going on."

"That's a great idea Kol," I smiled. I began scribbling on the pieces of paper.

"Now, are you going anywhere tomorrow?" Elijah asked.

"I need to go to the bayou. And I need to take Klaus with me."

"Alright. I want you to tell us when you leave, call when you get there and when you're on the way back," said Elijah.

"Okay, I promise I will." I finished writing and tucked the paper into envelopes before handing them over. I settled back down and closed my eyes. "Can I stay down here for a bit? My wolf has taken over my bed."

"Go ahead," Elijah said, stroking my hair gently.

I yawned and relaxed. Esther had been right. I needed to think of the brothers. I couldn't just think of myself anymore.

* * *

I fell asleep in Elijah's arms and when I woke up I was back in bed. I dressed, grabbed a few items and headed downstairs with the wolf. Everyone was in the courtyard eating breakfast. Rebekah and Klaus were bottle feeding the twins. I was amazed by how much they'd grown in such a short space of time. I was pleased to see Klaus back on his feet and happy that he seemed to be bonding with the girls.

"Morning Elena," said Elijah.

"Morning. Klaus, you're with me today, we have things to do."

"Elijah briefed me on the situation," he said, getting to his feet. I distributed the remaining envelopes to Freya and Rebekah so they would know what was going on.

"You should have breakfast before you go." Finn said. I grabbed a croissant from the table and apple.

"There, I have food. Klaus, come on, we have much to do."

We got in the car and drove out to the bayou. I felt strangely relaxed which was odd given the task at hand.

"So what snapped you out of it?" I asked him after a while.

"I thought about all the things I'd be missing if I gave up and… I decided I couldn't live with that." I smiled slightly and touched his hand.

"I really missed you."

"I missed you too."

We lapsed into silence but it was a comfortable silence, the kind where nothing needed to be said. We reached the bayou and pulled over. We climbed out of the car and Klaus looked around.

"So what's the plan here?" He asked.

"Hold out your hands?" He did so, looking mildly confused. I retrieved the rope I'd stuck in my pocket that morning and, quick as a flash, tied his hands together.

"Elena, if you wanted me tied up, all you had to do was ask," he said with a smirk. "What are you doing?"

"I am taking you prisoner. Now, behave yourself."

I led him by the rope through the trees to the cabin where I knew the wolves would be. I heard them before I saw them and as we neared, they fell silent and stopped to look at us. Jackson stepped forward.

"Elena. A pleasure, as always. Who's your friend?"

"This is Niklaus Mikaelson. I have brought him as a sign of good faith because… he is the one who killed Eve." A growl ran through the group and a few wolves stepped forward. My wolf moved in front of Klaus, snarling. Jackson raised a hand, warning his people back. "However, to the best of my knowledge, he was being controlled by the same witch who is after my children. I've brought him here to make you an offer. You can punish him however you want to. It'll be easy, quick and I'll leave. Or you can get even with the real culprit. That'll be significantly more dangerous but it will mean you can help me get rid of a witch who clearly believes that wolves are something she can discard with ease."

"Elena, we vowed ourselves to you. Of course we'll help you. Although, I do appreciate you showing that you're not going to pick favourites. But you can untie him." I smiled gratefully and untied Klaus' arms. "What's your plan?"

"There's a full moon coming up, yes?"

"Yes. Day after tomorrow."

"I want your pack, anyone who can shift, to go to the attic of St Anne's Church in the French Quarter that morning and stay there."

"Is that it?"

"That's all I can tell you for now. I'll come to you on that day and tell you the rest then. It will potentially be quite dangerous though… Will you be there?"

"I promise we'll be there." I smiled and hugged him.

"Thanks Jackson. Again, I'm really sorry about Eve."

"A lot of people view us as second class citizens Elena, we're used to it."

"Not anymore." I squeezed his hand lightly.

Klaus and I left the bayou. I mentally ticked off the wolf part of the equation. Just a few more steps and hopefully we'd be able to deal with Dahlia. My plan was really quite simple. Freya would perform the mortality spell on the church. I knew that if I asked Dahlia to meet me somewhere, she'd automatically think it was a trap so instead I would go there the night before and have the witches cast a cloaking spell so it seemed as though I was hiding with the twins. They would also cast a spell preventing people from exiting. She'd break through the cloaking spell eventually. If this happened before the moon, I'd have vampires on the street to hold her off which would only add to the illusion that I was hiding. She'd enter, be rendered mortal. And then that would leave her, trapped in a church with a pack of angry werewolves and some very protective papa vampires.

If the boys did their part we'd be set. I only had to find the blood to complete the mortality spell and Esther had promised to tell me who I needed to get it from if I made up with the brothers.

* * *

I waited in the courtyard when we got back for the others. They came back one by one. I didn't ask them how it went, just looked at them and received a nod in return. While I waited, my phone beeped with a message from Sophie. One of the tasks I'd given the boys was to deliver her a few items, including all the spells I had in my possession and every detail I remembered from the ritual. The text was simple, it just had four words.

 _I can do it._

Satisfied, I went up to my room. I only had one full day to prepare and I wasn't sure how long it would take to get the blood and for Freya to do the spell so it was better not to waste a single second.

I stood in the middle of the room, closed my eyes and concentrated.

"Esther?"

Silence.

"Esther, I kept my end of the deal. I need an answer."

Silence.

"You promised to help!" My voice cracked a little with desperation. I felt a chill spread through my body like I was being submerged in ice.

"And I will Elena."

I opened my eyes. There was no sign of her. I turned and came face to face with her.

"There you are. Come on, I'm on a deadline."

"I promised I would help you Elena and I will." She reached out a touched my cheek. "You really are a beautiful girl. Tatia was beautiful too but you have… something different inside of you." She sighed. "I hate to see you throw your life away for monsters."

A creeping sense of dread began to overwhelm me. I tried to step back but found myself rooted to the spot.

"What are you doing…?"

"I am helping you Elena, just like I promised." The cold increased. My blood was freezing in my veins, my skin felt corpse like. "Good night sweet child."

Everything went black.


	37. Chapter XXXV

The girl lay on the floor, brown hair spread out in a fan across the wooden boards. A large wolf was at her side, nudging her gently with concern. Her eyelids flickered and she groaned softly. The wolf whined.

Her eyes opened. She sat up slowly, turning her head to take in every detail of the room. A slow smile spread across her lips. She stretched out her arms and gently caressed her skin, relishing in the sensation of warmth that enveloped her. It had been so long since she'd been able to feel like this… over a thousand years since she'd felt the sun on her skin and been present in her own body.

The wolf growled, watching her. She smiled and turned to him, reaching for him.

"My love… it has been too long." He recoiled from her sharply, snapping at her fingers. She looked hurt by his rejection. "My love, please. I know these are not ideal circumstances but soon enough I can restore your original body. I can return to mine, or I can remain in this one if you prefer it. We can be together. We have this opportunity, but I need to restore the balance first."

She got to her feet, letting out a groan of delight as she relished in the feel of her muscles. This body wasn't quite as welcoming as her old one, it lacked the familiar electric tingle of the magic in her veins. In the back of her mind she felt a strange buzzing sensation and when she tried to explore the recesses of the mind for anything that might be of use, she found herself oddly locked out. Perhaps the girl was stronger than she had anticipated…? No, that was ridiculous. It was simply a matter of adjusting to the limitations of this new body.

The wolf moved between her and the door, taking on a defensive position. She frowned. Could she really have been so easily usurped from his heart by… a child? A weak defenceless little girl? She was aware that he'd developed a softness for the girl but she didn't think he would have forsaken her so easily.

"Move!" The wolf snarled. She let out a noise of aggravation and flicked her hand at him with the intention of throwing him across the room. Nothing happened and she clenched her fists. She was beginning to get even more aggravated with this new form. The joy of having a body restored to her was quickly waning to be replaced with annoyance. Of all the bodies to take, naturally she would get stuck in the body of a useless teenager.

"Move Ansel!" she grabbed the wolf by the scruff of his neck and threw him as hard as she could. He didn't go far but he landed with a thump against the bed, momentarily dazed. She took hold of his limp body and dragged him to the bathroom.

"I'm sorry but this needs to be done. If you won't help me, then you can stay in here until it's over." She closed the door on him and turned back to the room. Her eyes came to rest on a ring box on the bedside table. She frowned and came over, picking it up. She opened the box and examined the delicate ring nestled inside.

"Oh my Elena… what have you done to my sons?" She sighed and put it back down. A scrap of paper with a few scribbles on it caught her eye instead. She read through, her frown growing. Directions for a bonding spell? "Well we can't have this…"

She tore the paper to pieces. Inside the bathroom, the wolf was making a fuss so she left the room quickly, looking around. She could faintly hear the sound of voices from downstairs. She felt an ache deep inside her, a long buried maternal instinct awakening. She wanted to go to them, to wrap her arms around them as she had done so many times in their youth.

But no… she had to focus on the task at hand. This was an opportunity, one that could not be wasted.

She looked down the hall and noted a door with two sentries posted outside. Surely…

She strode down the hall, trying to recall her observations of the girl. Even the slightest misstep could expose her and she could not allow that, not before her task was done. The two guards glanced at her and bowed their heads, stepping aside to let her in. Once again, she found herself marvelling at the amount of power this girl possessed. To bend vampires, witches and wolves to her will? It was unnatural. She almost laughed at that. Everything about the girl was unnatural, her very existence represented a flaw in the natural order of things.

She went inside the room. As she had expected, it was the nursery. She ran her fingers over the wooden furniture, the leather books, the soft down of the collection of plush animals, relishing in the contrast of textures.

From the cot, a soft wail arose. She stiffened slightly at the sound which stirred up a number of lost memories. She went to the cot and carefully lifted the infant into her arms. The child was beautiful, she could not deny that. She could see traces of Kol in her features and as she looked down at the baby, her heart fluttered for a moment. She closed her eyes, quelling the feelings growing inside of her. A breeze from an unseen source stirred her hair and she heard the faintest whisper of warning. She ignored it. The ancestors of New Orleans were powerful but she was not one of them, she was not bound by their laws and by taking a human body, they could not drive her from the mortal plane.

The door opened and she looked up sharply.

"Elena?"

At the sound of that voice she almost wept. Although she had made herself content over the centuries watching her children from the other side, she had never looked for Freya. At first it was because she told herself that Dahlia would have hidden her from view. As time passed, she was forced to admit to herself that it was her own fear that stopped her. She knew that seeing her daughter would bring her only pain, that seeing her suffer would make her own suffering infinitely greater. And if she looked and saw her happy? While that may have assuaged her guilt, it would have made her suffering grow for entirely different reasons. But seeing her now, in front of her, she couldn't keep the feelings at bay.

"Freya…" the word slipped out before she could stop herself.

"Are you alright? You don't look great."

"I'm… I'm fine."

"Okay… I was just going to feed the girls before I went to bed. I thought you were asleep, I know you've had some rough days."

"It's okay, I can do it. You run along." Freya gave her an odd look before handing over the bottles and leaving.

She settled into the rocking chair to feed them, taking her time. She knew she needed to wait until the building was quiet, if any of her children were awake there was a risk that they might hear something and stop her from doing what she needed to do. Had any of them looked in on her, they would have seen only a picture of domestic bliss that she was quite pleased at having constructed. The mother, her child nestled lovingly in her arms. It was a beautiful moment and one she was sure Elena would have appreciated.

 _ **Please don't do this.**_

The thought rose up from somewhere at the back of her mind and faded as quickly as it had appeared. She frowned. It was almost as though… but no, the girl was a simple human with no real power inherent in her. She certainly wasn't strong enough to resist the oblivion that had settled over the mind to make way for the possession.

The house grew silent and she rose from her seat, carefully holding both children in her arms. She left the room. The corridor was dark. The guards were gone for which she was grateful. No need to complicate matters further.

She went down to the courtyard. It was bathed in moonlight from the almost full moon, painting it in shades of silver. It didn't seem right. Dark deeds deserved shadows, darkened corners. A water feature was set against one wall, a stone lion spitting water into a pond. She sat on the low wall that surrounded the water and gently trailed her fingers over the smooth surface. One of the infants squirmed slightly in her arms, her eyes opening.

"Shhh child. Be still…"

She shifted so she was knelt on the wall. She closed her eyes, murmuring a silent prayer to the gods to forgive her.

 _ **Please Esther… please don't do this… they're just children!**_

She pushed the voice further back, burying it her in the shadowed recesses of her mind. She carefully lowered the children into the water. As the cold liquid soaked through their clothes, they began to squirm and whimper. She felt the familiar chill, the presence of a ghostly figure. She lifted her head and from the corner of her eye saw the figure of Genevieve standing nearby, watching her.

"Please Esther, these children are innocent. Do not do this!"

She ignored the young woman, gritted her teeth and submerged the infants. They struggled weakly, too small to really defend themselves. In the back of her mind she could hear Elena screaming, begging and pleading at her to stop. She ignored it, holding the tiny bodies under the water, watching the bubbles rise and waiting for the moment that they went limp.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered. "I'm sorry… but I must do this…"

In her hands, the children fell still, the bubbles stopped rising and their bodies went limp. Elena's begging had stopped and instead was replaced by a steady sobbing.

* * *

 **A/N: How much would you hate me if I went on a three year hiatus round about now?**


	38. Chapter XXXVI

**A/N: I didn't want to leave you guys in suspense for too long**

* * *

"ELENA!"

She was torn away from the pond and thrown to the ground. Klaus held her down while Elijah retrieved the two sodden infants from the water. Freya came over to him and murmured under her breath. After a moment, they let out a few choking sobs and began to bawl. The courtyard was full, the siblings there along with the wolf and a number of the guards.

"Thank you Freya," said Elijah, the relief clear in his voice. Klaus got up, pulling her with him.

"Let go of me Niklaus!"

Klaus' grip loosened and he groaned.

"Of course… Esther." Elijah came over.

"How can you tell?"

"Well, Elena never calls me Niklaus. Her pet wolf," he gestured to the animal that was snarling nearby. "Is growling at her and she tried to DROWN OUR BABIES. None of that sounds like Elena! And I can only think of one person who is psychotic enough to try something this malicious."

"I was trying to protect you!" Esther snapped.

"Of course you were… just like when you changed us, right?" Klaus muttered. "And I will take great delight in draining the life out of you once again."

"Klaus, stay calm." Elijah touched his arm. "If you kill her, she'll just skip off to the afterlife and we'll lose Elena."

Finn came over with a set of manacles. He shackled Esther to a chair and the men circled her, glaring at her.

"Why do you do this mother?" Elijah asked.

"I was trying to protect you. Dahlia will kill you all and I didn't want that to happen."

"So you decided he best way to do that was to have Elena murder her children?" Rebekah demanded, standing a few feet back with Freya and the children. "That's disgusting even for you."

"She's not good for you! Being with her will bring you nothing but trouble! If I got rid of her and the children, you could have a fresh start!"

"You are delusional if you think Dahlia would be so easily robbed of what she wants," said Freya. "She would take vengeance on all of us if your plan had succeeded!"

Esther looked down at her feet, tears in her eyes.

"I was only trying to protect my children…" She looked up, her eyes running over her sons in search of someone who might offer her mercy. Her gaze landed on Finn. "Finn, darling, you were always such a good boy… you know that I care about you all, that I would never try to hurt you… I just want what's best for you!"

"I believe that you truly believe you have our best interests in heart. But I find it hard to think that you even have a heart after this. We love them. We love her. And we would die for them."

"And their lives are worth a lot more to us than your miserable skin," muttered Kol, glaring at his mother. "Now give us Elena back."

"I can't."

"You mean you won't," said Kol.

"No, I mean I can't. I have no power in this body. I'm stuck."

Elijah pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath.

"Freya, can you get her out?"

"I think so. It just might take me a little while…" She stepped forward and raised her hands "Hreinsa líkamann af skuggum, sendu sálina aftur heim hennar. Endurheimta anda lífshættu skipsins hennar."

Esther began to tremble as Freya chanted.

"No… Freya, don't send me back there! Please!" Freya ignored her, eyes closed, focusing on her chant.

"Hreinsa líkamann af skuggum, sendu sálina aftur heim hennar. Endurheimta anda lífshættu skipsins hennar."

Esther's head suddenly shot back, letting out a ragged gasp. Blood dripped from her nose, her eyes rolling back in her head. Her body began to spasm,

"What's happening?" demanded Klaus.

"The ancestors…" said Esther. "Elena… she's been…. communing with them… Freya's spell… is opening Elena's mind… letting them in…"

"Freya stop," said Finn. "They're trying to hurt Elena."

Freya's eyes opened and a small smile spread across her features, a wicked smile that seemed out of place on her usually angelic face.

"No they're not Finn… they're after Esther."

The courtyard seemed to shake. The candles on the wall flared up to blindingly bright and the assembled group recoiled, shielding their eyes from the light. When the lights dimmed back down to the normal level, Genevieve was stood in front of Esther, watching the group. Rebekah was the first to register her and she let out a small squeak of fear. Genevieve glanced over at her and the tiniest hint of a smile played across her lips before she turned her attention back to the assembled brothers.

"Hello."

"Who are you…?" Freya asked.

"My name is Genevieve. I am speaking to you on behalf of the ancestors. This woman was not sent by us to harm your children or your family. While we have no love for your species, she has disgraced our kind by attempting to bring harm on innocents."

"That's great an all but maybe you could skip the apology, stop making Elena's body haemorrhage blood and get that bitch out of there?" Kol suggested. Genevieve laughed softly.

"Elena was communing with us in an effort to find the final ingredient for a spell to defeat the dark one. Esther promised that she would aid her, which is how she came to be inside your lover. I do intend to remove her, however I am also going to ensure that she keeps her promise." She closed her eyes and raised her arms. The candles flared up once more. When they died down, Elena's body was slumped forward and Genevieve was gone.

Kol stepped forward and gently touched Elena's arm. The wolf came over and nuzzled her leg.

"Elena…?" Elijah asked tentatively.

* * *

I opened my eyes. Everything was spinning and out of focus. As I began to regain my faculties, the realisation of what had happened hit me.

"LILAH! BLAIR! NO!" I vaulted upright, eyes searching wildly for my babies. I felt a restraining hand on my arm, holding me still but the owner of it was still too out of focus to really register. I thrashed wildly, desperate to get away and find my children.

"Elena, Elena calm down… they're fine. I promise you, our children are fine." The voice was reassuring but I still wasn't satisfied, seeking out my children.

"They're here Elena," said Rebekah's voice. Things were becoming clearer and I could see the people around me. Finn unfastened the manacles on my wrist and my children were carefully placed in my arms.

I felt tears rising up as relief washed over me. I'd been so scared… I thought I was going to lose them.

"My babies…" I rocked them gently. "I'll never let anyone hurt you again…"

"Elena you should go to bed and rest," said Elijah.

"No… I don't want to be away from anyone…"

"Okay… Kol, get Elena's blanket. We'll camp out in the living room tonight. Is that okay?" I nodded, clinging to my children. Klaus carefully ushered me to the living room and got me situated. Kol fetched my blanket and wrapped it around me. All of the siblings gathered around the room. No one seemed to feel like sleeping but no one wanted to talk either. I held the twins close, occasionally stroking their cheeks, reassuring myself that they were still there. None of the brothers seemed to want to distance themselves from me either. Kol played with my hair, Klaus gently rubbed my shoulders, Elijah kept an arm around me and Finn held my hand. I couldn't get the feeling of Esther out of my head. It had felt like I was trapped inside a glass box, able to see everything that was going on but unable to do anything to stop it. I'd tried to scream but my voice had been stolen and I was stuck in silence, helpless.

I shuddered at the thought. The wolf nuzzled my leg. He'd put his dislike of vampires aside and was resting at the edge of the group. I looked over at him and thought about what Esther had said to him.

"Klaus," I said softly. "I think I met your dad…"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Well… I could see everything when Esther was in my head… she spoke to the wolf… she called him 'my love'… and Genevieve told me that he was a werewolf who had died…" Klaus looked over at the wolf who lifted his head to look back.

"I… I don't think this is something I can really focus on right now Elena. For now, I'm just glad that he's looking out for you."

"It was him who came and got us," said Elijah. "He ate his way out of your bedroom and made a racket until we got up."

"That's my boy…" I rested my head on Elijah's shoulder and closed my eyes. Kol hummed softly, continuing to toy with my hair.

"Kol, shush," said Rebekah suddenly.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I can hear something…"

Everyone shifted into a sitting position, listening intently.

"I hear it too," said Elijah. The brothers got to their feet and I made to follow. "You can wait here Elena."

"No, I want to stay with you."

They didn't argue. I gave the twins to Freya and we headed down to the cellar. As we descended, I began to hear the noise too. It was a faint thumping noise that grew louder as we entered the cellar. Klaus was leading the way and he stopped abruptly on the bottom step. I peered around him and saw a coffin with a large silver M emblazoned on it.

"Umm… do you guys have another relative I don't know about?" I asked softly.

"No…" Klaus said. "This is someone else…"

He strode over to the coffin and wrenched it open. A woman sat up, coughing hard. She was wearing black funeral garb and had long blonde hair, which hung dishevelled over her face. I blinked.

"Esther?" I couldn't believe it. This was like a nightmare come true.

"Well this is great," said Kol. "Now we can kill her ourselves."

"I guess this is what Genevieve meant about ensuring she kept her promise…" muttered Rebekah.

Klaus, a twisted smirk on his face, crouched down and yanked Esther to her feet. He shook her roughly.

"Hello again Mother."

I heard a rustle in the air behind us and Finn stepped forward, brandishing the manacles again. He passed them to Klaus, who fastened them on Esther. She seemed too dazed to resist, trembling slightly in Klaus' grasp.

"I think it's time we had a little talk with mother dearest," said Klaus.

We returned to the living room and Klaus shoved Esther into a chair. Rebekah took the twins from Freya and left the room with them. Klaus turned to me and offered me his hand.

"Elena would you care to do the honours?"

"I would love to." I stepped forward until I was stood in front of her, arms folded and glaring down at her. "You told me that you'd help me find the blood of the witch who broke Dahlia's heart. Now, you have… hmm… five minutes… to give me an answer. And if you lie, I will step aside and let your sons take turns in torturing you for what you did to my daughters."

She flicked her hands out, trying to cast a spell. I automatically stepped back but nothing happened. She looked down at her hands, staring in shock and confusion.

"Oh and those manacles? They're something I had made to stop witches from doing magic," said Kol. "So you really should cooperate."

Esther stayed quiet.

"Tick tock," said Klaus softly. "I'm sure we can convince you to talk… but you really don't want that to happen."

She looked away, face set stubbornly. She let out a sharp gasp of pain and I saw a drop of blood running down her cheek from her eyes.

"Looks like the ancestors want you to talk too," I said. "And they can torment you for a lot longer than we can."

"Fine!" she said. "I was the witch. I broke Dahlia's heart. We were taken by the Vikings and we vowed to stay together… but I fell in love and chose to stay… I broke her heart."

"Well that's very convenient," said Klaus. "Freya, how much blood do you need?"

"A bowlful?"

"I heard all of it. Let's skin her," said Kol.

"I also heard all of it." Klaus smirked and advanced on his mother. Elijah disappeared for a moment and returned with a bowl and a knife.

"Let's get what Elena and Freya need first. Then you can do what you like to her, Klaus." Klaus scowled but nodded.

"Fine." He sliced open her wrist and let the blood drain into a bowl which he handed to Freya.

"We still need the ashes…" she said, looking at me. I pulled the small pouch of ashes from my jeans pocket where I'd left them. I held them up.

"We're good."

Freya took the ashes, smiled and left the room. I looked at Klaus and the others, standing around Esther.

"You may want to leave," said Elijah. "This will not be pleasant."

I looked at Esther. She pleaded silently with her eyes, hoping for mercy. I looked at the wolf. He had known her, he had even loved her once. He looked back at me, perfectly still. He didn't want me to try and save her.

"Try not to make too much mess."

I left the room and followed Freya. We went to her room and she retrieved some candles, setting them around the room.

"You got the soil?" I asked.

"Yes. It was relatively easy." She fetched a small envelope from her drawer and held it up. I sat down on the ground and she sat opposite me.

"So what happens now?"

"We mix them together and that means they can be bound to a weapon or a place. The weapon will kill her but if we bind it to a place, just being in that area will make her mortal."

"The church, yeah?"

"Yes. I'll make up the compound now and then when you go there tomorrow night, I'll come with you and activate it." She lit a stick of sage, took the bowl of blood and upended the envelope. Dirt fell into the bowl. She added in the ash and held her hands over the bowl. "Drende moral associeres. Drende moral associeres."

The candles flared up. The mixture in the bowl seemed to crystalize into a dark powder. I reached over and gently ran my fingers through it.

"This will do it?"

"Yes. With this, we can defeat Dahlia."


	39. Chapter XXXVII

We stayed in Freya's room for a while, carefully bagging the powder. When we finished, we headed out into the hallway. Elijah was coming out of the living room. His white shirt was now a deep crimson colour. I blinked. I'd never really seen Elijah as the murderous monster I knew that Klaus and Kol could be… it was unnerving to say the least.

"Is she dead?" I asked.

"Not yet. Klaus is trying to drag it out."

"I hope he finishes up soon. I don't feel comfortable with that woman in here…"

"You'd rather she be a spirit who can go anywhere?"

"I don't think she'll be going anywhere at all. They were more than a bit mad at her…" I looked down. "Is this where you lecture me for not telling you I was communing with the ghosts?"

"No lectures tonight. I'm just relieved you're all alright. Ask tomorrow, I might be able to do one then." He smiled slightly. "Are you and Freya all done?"

"Yes, we're ready. Tomorrow morning I'll put everything into motion."

"You should go to bed. You've got a lot to do tomorrow, we all have."

"I know… I'm just on edge. I'm not sure I could sleep."

"You need to try. If it makes you feel more comfortable, you can go sleep in my room. I've got a busy night ahead… burying dead witches."

"You got more that I don't know about?" I teased. I gave him a kiss on his cheek and hugged him. "I'll see you tomorrow… at least soon this nightmare will all be over… one way or another."

I went down the corridor towards Elijah's room. I paused outside my own room. There was a hole in the door. I remembered what he'd said about the wolf… Ansel… eating his way out. But the hole wasn't big enough for an animal to get through… I pushed open the door and peeked inside. The bathroom door was undamaged and had been opened. It was just… a bit off.

I checked the room thoroughly, fearful Dahlia or one of her minions might be lurking. I found nothing so I went to the nursery. Rebekah was situated there, on guard and I gave her a grateful smile before heading to Elijah's room. I curled up in his bed, wrapping the blankets around me and burrowing down underneath them. Tomorrow I had to get everything ready and then we'd finally finish this. I just hoped everything went to plan.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up bright and early. I went down to the courtyard where everyone was having a tense breakfast, trying to maintain some semblance of normality. There was a faint smell of burning in the air. I wondered if that was anything to do with Esther… I decided not to think about it too hard. I was happier not knowing.

"Is everyone ready for today?" I asked softly. The conversation died and the siblings exchanged glances, nodding slowly. I knew today was not going to be easy and it struck me that this might be the last breakfast we'd have today as a family. There were so many things I wanted to say… but I didn't say any of them. Instead I finished my breakfast in silence and got to my feet.

"We haven't really talked about this part, but some of you are going to need to stay here."

"What…?" said Kol. "But we want to help."

"And you already have. But this whole thing hinges on Dahlia thinking I'm running. If I was truly running, I'd leave a distraction to hold her off and make it seem like I've not gone anywhere. That's the people here."

"Okay, so Klaus and I will come with you," suggested Elijah.

"Klaus can't go," said Freya. "Dahlia took control of him once, she could do it again."

"Okay, so I'll go and Kol can come with me?"

"I think… she'd know that I'd want you to come Elijah, and she's more likely to go where you are, thinking I'd bring you. And we need to keep her away for at least a while. Finn, Kol, you're with us. Finn comes with me now, Kol you go with one of the twins. I'm sorry Elijah, Klaus… I'll see you when this is over." They stared at me and I wasn't entirely sure what they were feeling. I expected Klaus to argue the most vocally. He never liked when he didn't get his way after all, but he stayed quiet. I guess he saw the danger his presence could bring.

I kissed them both softly on the lips, got my bag and left the house.

The first part of the plan was simple. I knew Dahlia would be watching us and I needed to make it seem like I was running. But at the same time, I couldn't let her find our location until the full moon had risen. I left the house first with Finn in tow, taking the backstreets and making a visible effort to avoid being seen. If Dahlia was watching, she'd see that I was trying to stay hidden and make the guess I was running for cover.

I went to the church. Father Kieran had agreed to let us use it, albeit it somewhat reluctantly and once I got there, I found a small package from him which I tucked in my pocket. I hid myself away in the attic and I texted Freya. She then left with Blair and, after waiting tensely for twenty minutes, she arrived at the church as well, having taken an equally convoluted route to get there without detection. Kol was with her, which I figured made sense since Freya only had magic to defend her and if they were attacked, at least Kol could speed away with Blair and get her to safety. I texted Rebekah and after about half an hour, she arrived with Lilah and a bag of supplies. I'd not liked the idea of the twins being here and being put at risk but Freya had insisted that there was no way that Dahlia would come if we didn't have the girls. She'd said that we might be able to trick her with one of the girls but that repeating the same trick for both of them would been seen through. After she said this, I made sure that one of the witches would go to the compound and perform the spell to make it seem like the twins were there. This would only strengthen the illusion I was trying to create.

The next step was to prepare. Freya and I spread the mortality compound around the church and the attic, creating a space that would render Dahlia mortal. Throughout the city, witches began to cast spells. There were several layers of protection placed over the church. The most obvious was a cloaking spell, simple, designed to be broken. Underneath this, another more complicated cloaking spell was put in place, one that would mask all but a few notable people. This one was far stronger and would stop Dahlia from realising just how much she was up against. The last few layers were an intricate net of boundary spells, sealing the attic from the rest of the church and preventing people from leaving the church itself, so that Dahlia couldn't just run. The attic was also spelled with a mixture of disruption spells that would stop Dahlia from using magic while she was inside of it. That was our last line of defence. We hadn't placed a spell to prevent magic on the rest of the church, because we knew that Dahlia would likely sense it and it would stop her from entering the church until she'd stripped all the magic away from the building.

The vampires of the quarter, at least the ones with daylight rings had gathered near the church. If Dahlia came too soon, their job was to hold her off for as long as they could.

When everything was in place, all we could do was wait. Dahlia wasn't supposed to come for the twins until the next day but I wanted to be ready in case she changed her mind and came early. If she did, it was going to make things a lot more complicated. She'd still be mortal but I wasn't sure if Finn, Kol and Rebekah's vampire abilities combined with Freya's powers would be enough to end her. If we were lucky, we wouldn't have to find out.

The five of us sat in the attic in silence. There was no way of knowing if the witches spells were in place, we just had to hope they were. None of us really wanted to talk and even if we had, we wouldn't have known what to say. These weren't talking circumstances. I contented myself with holding my children, knowing that if things turned out badly, I would never get to hold them again.

When night fell, the werewolves arrived. I gave Jackson a hug as his wolves sat down on the dusty floorboards to wait. I divided them into two groups. The first and largest group would ambush Dahlia. The second and smaller group would remain in the attic with Freya and the twins. If Dahlia defeated us, there was probably not much chance of the last wolves being able to protect her but at least this gave them an extra chance to survive.

We stayed there, watching the sky through the gaps in the window slats. We dozed on and off, without any real sense of time. Night turned to day and still we waited, sitting next to one another in the dust and the cobwebs. The sun faded again, giving way to twilight. Everyone was tense, waiting for the moon to rise.

My phone rang, the shrill noise impossibly loud in the silence. I answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey…" It was Klaus.

"Klaus, you shouldn't be calling…"

"I wanted to… to say goodbye. I mean, officially. I didn't get a chance before."

"Don't say it Klaus… this isn't the end, we're going to beat this…"

"Maybe. But if I didn't get to say these things… I wouldn't forgive myself. So, I'm going to say it. Elena Gilbert, you are without a doubt, the craziest, most infuriatingly stubborn young woman I have ever met. And you have made me a better man. You brought our family together in a way that I never could."

"Klaus…" I felt tears in my eyes. "Please…" I couldn't hear this right now. I needed to focus, I couldn't let myself get distracted…

"I'm sorry. I'm selfish, I need to say the words. I love you Elena Gilbert. And I want you to fight for our children. I want you to win and come back. I want to hold you in my arms and never let go."

The phone went dead. I didn't know if Klaus had disconnected or if something had happened but I was on edge. Freya stiffened suddenly beside me.

"What is it?"

"It's Dahlia. I can feel her magic. She's breaking the cloaking spell." I looked over at the window. The sun was still clinging to life, refusing to set and there was no sign of the moon. Oh god…

I got to my feet and crept over to the window, peeking out. I could see bodies in the street, the vampires who had been guarding the church. Unconscious I hoped…

"Everyone," I said, keeping my voice soft. "She's coming. I know the moon isn't up yet. I'm going to go down and try to stall her as best I can. As soon as you shift, you get to your positions. Freya, Finn, Kol, Rebekah…" I looked at each of them in turn, trying to work out how to sum up all my feelings. "I love you guys. Let's protect our family."

They nodded. Freya took the twins and moved them into a protective circle she'd drawn to ensure that the werewolves didn't harm them by accident. I took a deep breath and left the attic with the other siblings at my side. We descended the stairs slowly to the main church. It was empty but from outside came the sound of fighting, cries of pain. The guards, trying to buy us just as a bit of extra time.

Gradually the sounds died down. We waited, hardly daring to breathe. The doors blew open and banged against the wall. Dahlia, a figure in black silhouetted against the dying light of the day, stepped forward.

"Well now, Miss Gilbert. You've led me on quite the wild goose chase today. I applaud your efforts. The fake children were a nice touch but you underestimated me."

"Did you hurt them? Klaus? Elijah?"

"Nothing that they won't recover from after a good night's sleep. But if you were hoping for them to rescue you, you are out of luck. Now, hand over the children and we can forget this whole business. You can all get back on with your little mediocre lives, you'll never have to see me again."

"They're not here." She shook her head and gave me a patronizing smile.

"I can sense their power. Along with that of Freya. Did you think that she would be able to help you? Now, I will ask you one last time and after that, I will not be so nice. Fetch what is mine. Now."

"You are not taking my children Dahlia. We will not let you touch them." The sun had to be almost set by now. Surely… I just had to hold out for a little bit longer.

"You think you can defeat me?" She laughed. "You are just a child. I can destroy you with just a sample of my power."

"Go on then," said Kol. "Because you are not getting anywhere near those girls."

Beside me, the siblings faces contorted, their fangs sliding out and their eyes turning red. Finn moved first, speeding forward. Dahlia sent him flying with a wave of her hand. Kol attacked before she had time to recognize his movement and managed to knock her legs out from under her. He went to plunge his hand into her heart but she flicked her wrist and all of the siblings doubled over, clutching their heads.

"You will not keep me from claiming what is mine!" She raised her hand and the three of them were propelled into the walls and pinned there. Blood bubbled up out of their mouths, running down their chins. "They will drown on the blood that they have consumed. And while they suffer, they will be forced to watch me end your pathetic life."

She advanced on me, arm outstretched. I felt a tightening in my throat, like I was being strangled. I clawed at my throat, trying to free myself from the invisible bonds. I was forced to the floor, sprawled on the steps of the altar. My eyes roamed the hall desperately and landed on the thin beam of light coming in through the open door. Everything outside was dark and a silver hue had filled the church. The moon…

From the attic came the sound of howling. First one, then many. Dahlia's head shot up and her magic faltered.

"What is this…? What trickery have you placed here?"

"No trickery… It's a full moon… and the wolves are hungry…" I rubbed my throat, my voice raspy. I heard the soft pad of many feet coming down the stairs. Dahlia looked to the door that concealed the stairs and I saw her resolve harden once again. The wolves poured out from behind the door, a blur of grey, black and brown fur. They wasted no time, instead they lunged straight for Dahlia, swarming around her. She waved her arms, using her powers as best she could to fend them off. I ran over to where the siblings were sprawled, having dropped from the walls when her power had faltered. I checked them over and they all seemed to be alright. Kol was unconscious and Rebekah was somewhere between awake and knocked out, groaning softly. Finn was the only one who seemed fit to fight and when I came over to him, he held out a hand. I helped him to his feet and he took a few breaths before darting forward to join the fray.

Even with the numbers, it was clear that Dahlia was winning. The wolves tore at her skin but the injuries didn't seem to be slowing her down. For every wolf that attacked, she dislodged two with her magic.

I grabbed a candle stick from the altar and hurled it at her. I clipped her head and she stumbled back a little. If we could damage her in a more impactful way we'd have a chance.

My hand found the package in my pocket. I pulled it out and slipped the item from the envelope it had been placed in. It was a metal throwing star. I didn't know why it had been left for me but Kieran clearly thought it would help. I could see that Dahlia was beating off the wolves. More were lying on the floor, barely moving, than were fighting her. Finn was on the floor as well, clutching his head. I threw the star as hard as I could. It buried itself in Dahlia's shoulder. I cursed my poor throw but a second later she let out an earpiercing shriek. Cuts began to appear all over her body, bleeding heavily. She staggered away from the fight, trying to heal herself with her magic. She retreated to the door, the cuts growing and multiplying.

She reached the door before she collapsed. Her hand slid down the invisible barrier. The wolves surrounded her, growling. I stepped forward until I was stood a few feet from her. She was still fighting, waving her hands over her injuries to try and heal herself. The wolves looked at me.

"Kill her."

The wolves fell on her, tearing into her. She screamed at first, but before long, it faded to nothing but the crunching of bones and the tearing of flesh.


	40. Chapter XXXVIII

When the wolves had finished and settled down around the church to wait out the full moon, I went over to the door, carefully avoiding Dahlia's twisted remains. As I stepped into view of the door, Marcel appeared on the other side of the barrier.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine. We're all fine. Any casualties out there?"

"No. She knocked them around a bit but they'll all recover."

"Good. Let the witches know it's okay to drop the spells on the church and then get your people off the street. We don't want any incidents between the vampires and the werewolves. And could you bring some blood bags in the meantime?"

"Sure. Should I have someone come and deal with the body as well?"

"Yes, please. I promised Kieran we'd put everything back when we were done. I don't think he'd be happy to find a dead body in his pews."

"I'll deal with the clean-up. When the barrier's down, you and those girls should get home and rest."

"I'm fine Marcel, I promise. Go get us out of here before the wolves get hungry again." He nodded and sped off. I went over and sat in one of the pews, feeling exhausted. I couldn't really believe that we'd won. I'd spent so long mentally dealing with the potential emotional fallout that now I didn't have to worry about it anymore I felt empty and drained.

Marcel returned with blood bags which he tossed inside for us, before going to clear the streets of vampires. I collected to the bags and went over to the siblings. They were all awake now although very weak. I carefully distributed the blood between them. No one spoke. We still didn't really know what to say so the siblings contented themselves with feeding and regaining their strength. Freya came down from the attic with the twins and the rest of the wolves. I took my babies from her and hold them close, rocking them gently. They were safe, that was all that mattered.

"What happens now?" asked Freya.

"I don't know… I guess we get on with our lives." That thought seemed scarier in a way than the thought of Dahlia and what we'd faced tonight.

"I've spent my whole life with Dahlia or trying to hide from her… I don't know what my life is…" She bit her lip. I considered it for a minute. It was something I'd wondered myself. My own life was defined by being controlled by people trying to kill me. If things were safe now… I didn't really know what I'd do. My old life was long gone…

"Well then we make a new life for ourselves. It might not be perfect, in fact it's almost guaranteed to be messy and terrible in places but it'll be ours and the good will outweigh the bad." I touched her hand. "You can meet someone, fall in love… have a life of your own outside of Dahlia's control. You can do anything you want."

"I like that idea…" She said with a small smile. "What about you? What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to raise my girls… and I guess I need to deal with the mess I've made with the boys."

"Love isn't a mess."

"It is when you've got a bunch of brothers, who already have a strained relationship, declaring it for you." I looked over to where Kol and Finn were sitting. "I don't know what to do…"

"What do you want to do?"

"I… it's selfish." I'd been pretending that I didn't know, refusing to admit it to myself but I'd known the entire time. I'd always known what I wanted.

"And? Sometimes the selfish thing is what's right. Tell me… what do you want?"

"I… I don't want to choose." Kol met my gaze from across the room. I bit my lip and looked away. Marcel reappeared at the door and gestured that we could leave. I ushered the wolves out and watched them disappear into the streets of the city before looking at Marcel. "You good here?"

"Yes. Go on."

I looked to the siblings.

"Come on, let's go home."

We trudged home. The streets were alive with noise but everything felt out of kilter. The sounds seemed to be miles away, like there was something separating me from the real world. We went back to house, not knowing what we might find there. I hoped Dahlia had been telling the truth about what she'd done to Klaus and Elijah.

When we got back, Elijah was seated in the courtyard as Klaus paced. As we entered, they rushed over to us, clearly as concerned about us as we had been about them. Nobody spoke, we just hugged one another. In the fuss, I slipped away and headed upstairs. I knew that I should stay with the others, we should celebrate our victory but all I needed was time to just relax and let my feelings restart themselves. I put the twins to bed, content in the knowledge that they were safe, and went to my room. My wolf was sitting on the floor, waiting for me.

"Hello there…" I said softly. I knelt down in front of him and offered him my hand. He nuzzled it gently and looked up at me. "We won… The twins are safe."

The wolf pulled away from me and went to the window, looking out at the street still bathed in moonlight. He stretched and closed his eyes. As I watched, the light seemed to settle on the wolf's body. It grew in intensity, building until it was painful for me to look at him and I was forced to turn my head away.

The light died. I peeked back to the window. The wolf was gone. Instead, a tall man was standing there. His hair was dark, cut short and he was dressed in strange old fashioned clothes, a leather vest and leggings of some kind of animal skin. He got to his feet and turned to face me.

"Hello Elena," he said, smiling.

"Wh… wh… how…"

"This is my true form. I can officially introduce myself now I have it restored to me. I am Ansel." He bowed.

"Okay… and you're human again…?"

"Yes. I have fulfilled my purpose here and I can finally achieve peace." He reached out and gently touched my cheek. "Thanks to you."

"It's… going to be really weird not having you around."

"I'll always be here. If you need me, I will come." He carefully removed a leather cord from around his neck and carefully tied it around mine instead. I carefully examined the talisman that hung from it, a large white fang, razor sharp and carefully carved with ornate patterns. "My time with you has been very special. You have allowed me a chance to see my son, to see his family grow and that is worth more to me than anything else."

"I'll miss you." I hugged him. I was going to miss him. I'd gotten so used to having him at my side, the thought of him not being there was strange to me. "Are you going now?"

"I have until the sunrise." He kissed my forehead. "I'll stay with you till you fall asleep. When you wake, I'll be gone." I nodded and sat on the bed. "Would it be uncomfortable if I joined you?"

"I think, all things considered, it'd be alright."

He came and joined me on the bed, careful to retain a respectful distance between us. Even though he was no longer small and furry, I found myself comforted by his presence and warmth. I closed my eyes and settled down. For the first time in a long time, I felt completely at ease. Things were going to be good.

* * *

I woke up late the next morning and Ansel was gone. I smiled sadly and got up. I felt warm all over and I was excited for the rest of my life to continue. I checked my phone and noticed a new message.

 _Hey Elena  
Glad you're not dead! Can you come to Rousseau's? I've finished getting things ready.  
~Sophie_

My heart skipped a beat. I smiled to myself and got dressed, before heading downstairs. Everyone was in the courtyard, hanging out. I guessed that they weren't really sure what to do now they had all this time.

"I'm going out for a bit… is that okay?" I hadn't meant to ask, but it was almost like an instinct. I wasn't used to not being in danger.

"Of course. Did you want company?" Finn asked.

"No, I'm good. I'm just going to hang out with Sophie for a bit. Are you guys okay with being on twin patrol?"

"What's the worst they can do?" Kol laughed. "We can handle them. Go and have some fun."

I smiled and headed off into the warm streets. Everything felt good and I could relax, without feeling like I was being watched. I headed to Rousseau's, taking my time, enjoying the sunshine. Now that things were getting back to normal, it was time to start thinking about the future. I wanted to finally finish my senior year, graduate, focus on the twins… get married.

These were opportunities I hadn't thought I'd ever get, I wasn't about to waste them.

I reached Rousseau's and went through to the kitchen, where Sophie was busy working.

"Hey Soph."

"Elena!" She hugged me. "I'm so glad you're okay! I was worried."

"I'm fine. Everything went to plan. I owe the witches a big thank you… I have to think of some kind of way to repay them."

"Its fine, we were happy to help." She smiled. "Speaking of help…" She went over and fetched a small pouch from her coat pocket. She upturned it onto the counter to reveal five rings. Four were set with sardonyx while the last was set with rose quartz. She separated the rose quartz one away from the other. It was smaller and far more delicate. "This one is yours. The spell was easier than I thought but… it doesn't work without the blood of the vampire you want bonding to you. Yours is active but it won't work without being partnered to a vampire."

"Thank you Sophie."

"It's fine. I've written directions for how to finish the spell. Any competent witch can do it for you."

I hugged her tight.

"You have no idea how much this means to me."

"It's really not a big deal. Just… you know, a sign of how awesome I am." She grinned. "What's next for you?"

"Well, going to enrol into a high school so I can finish my education but not until September. Give the boys an answer… live my life."

"You make normal life seem so interesting."

"I don't care if it's boring, I can't wait for the chance to be normal."

"You will never be normal Elena," she nudged me.

"Well I can do normal for me." I grinned. "First goal, try and throw a party that doesn't end in death, disaster, decapitation…"

"Oh all the best parties have those things," Sophie teased. I smiled and slipped the rings into my pockets.

"You know, this is the first time I've been here in ages where I don't have to run off. I have the whole day to do what I want."

I perched on the kitchen counter and watched as Sophie cooked, chatting happily with her. It felt nice to be able to take my time, to spend as much time as I wanted with my friend and just enjoy myself. I snacked on some of Sophie's gumbo, chatted with Cami when she came in to work. We made plans to meet up again and actually go out for an evening.

When I left, it was early afternoon. I felt the weight of the rings in my pocket and I was happy. I returned home and found that the siblings had broken out the champagne. The shock of our survival seemed to have worn off and we were all feeling jubilant. Elijah poured me a glass and Klaus raised his in a toast.

"To our family."

We clinked our glasses, echoing his toast. No one brought up the unpleasantness of what had passed, Elijah and Kol seemed at ease and didn't bring up their proposals. We were just enjoying the moment. I wished it would last forever and that I could just live in this feeling.

To our family. Together, always and forever.

* * *

 **A/N: Not the end. Yet. One more chapter.**


	41. Epilogue

We spent the next month in a quiet state of bliss, enjoying our new found peace. I spent time with the girls, with the brothers, with Rebekah and Freya, with Sophie and Cami. Everything was good. I didn't see any sign of Lucien so I guessed that he'd finished his business in the city. It was a little disappointing that our friendship was being stopped so soon but then again, it was probably a good thing. I didn't need him stirring up drama between me and the others by sending extravagant gifts to tease me.

I didn't tell the siblings about the rings. I wasn't sure how they'd react to the idea I had forming in my head and I didn't want to break the careful equilibrium that had taken over the house. Things were good and I was worried that if I broached any kind of controversial subject then things would go back to being tense. I knew eventually I'd have to talk to Kol and Elijah about their proposals, and Klaus and Finn for that matter, but for now I was just content with things as they were.

I had discussed my other plans with them. Klaus seemed a little confused by my decision to return to school and graduate. He suggested we just go to Mystic Falls and compel an administrator into giving me my certificate. The idea was tempting, I mean no one likes school, but I wanted to do things properly. No cheating. I was also toying with the idea of going to college but I wasn't set on that. I was fairly sure that one of the siblings would turn me eventually so it wasn't like I had to worry about time.

Despite the return to peace, we stayed on edge for a little while. It was hard to just switch off the anxiety that our children might be taken at any time. I found myself wandering into their room in the middle of the night to check on them, spending half an hour just watching them. Sometimes when I went in there, I found one of the boys doing the same thing. It was almost two weeks after Dahlia's defeat that we finally managed to stop jumping at every noise and let the girls out of our sight for more than five minutes.

A month after we had got rid of Dahlia, Klaus suggested that we all go out for the evening. Everyone agreed and we found a babysitter for the evening, although Freya insisted that she'd be happy to stay behind and do it. That night I felt kind of nervous, although I wasn't sure why. I think it was because I'd never been out properly with all the siblings. I'd gone drinking with Kol and Rebekah before but I'd never been out and had the experience of their conflicting personalities mixed with alcohol and other people. I was slightly worried the evening was going to end in bloodshed despite Finn's reassurances.

I got dressed and met them down in the courtyard. Klaus was in high spirits and seemed excited by the prospect of what was to come.

"So what are we doing tonight?" I asked.

"Well I thought that we'd show you the real city. You've been here for a while and you've not actually done much in the city."

"I was a little distracted by… you know… becoming queen, having kids, protecting my home. A bar crawl wasn't really high on the list of priorities."

"We're not taking you on a bar crawl," said Elijah. "We're going to the theatre and then we're going to get dinner. Very low key."

"I don't know," said Kol. "I want to see drunk Elena again, she's fun."

"Never again," I said, poking him in the ribs. He grinned and wrapped an arm around me. The seven of us headed out into the street and I was surprised by the arrival of Marcel. Rebekah greeted him warmly and gave him a kiss. I glanced over at Klaus. He seemed bemused but appeared to be tolerating their renewed relationship. I was happy for her. She was getting on with her life. It was kind of sad. Over a thousand years old and this was the first time she'd got to actually live.

We went to the theatre and got settled in our box. I couldn't help but marvel at the level of extravagance that the siblings enjoyed. This really was their city, their home and they were living the lives they wanted for once, rather than existing on standby and waiting for Mikael to disrupt their peace. I sat next to Elijah and he spent most of the show holding my hand or with his arm around me. I enjoyed the casual intimacy that had sprung up between us.

The show was good and afterwards we headed to a nearby brewery for dinner and drinks. There was a live band and it filled the atmosphere with a electricity and excitement. The food was pleasant and everyone seemed at ease. I had a little bit to drink and was feeling warm and happy. Everyone was in high spirits. Rebekah and Marcel held hands through pretty much the entire meal. Klaus and Kol were flirting playfully with the waitress, with me, with any woman who came within their radius. Even Finn seemed to be happy, chatting far more than normal. I got the feeling that he'd shut himself off when Freya had been taken and now she was back it was like the missing piece of him had been restored.

When we finished and paid, with Klaus tipping heavily, we headed back home. Klaus and Kol were comparing the amount of numbers they'd managed to get, clearly enjoying their game. Elijah had his arm wrapped around me. Rebekah and Marcel were laughing, Freya was happy. It was a perfect evening.

We got back home and Rebekah said goodbye to Marcel. The babysitter came out to the courtyard to greet us.

"Thanks for tonight," I said, handing over her pay. "Where they any trouble?"

"No, they were little angels. I fed them about an hour ago and then put them to bed. They've been quiet since then." She smiled and headed off. I shrugged off my jacket, spinning around a little, relishing the lingering buzz of the evening.

"Did you have a good night?" Klaus asked.

"I did. It was amazing."

"I'm glad." He kissed my cheek. "Are you staying up for a bit?"

"Yeah. I just want to go check on the girls and then I'll be right back." I headed up the stairs, humming a tune from the band. I let myself into the nursery and went to their cots.

My eyes widened in horror and fear. The cots were empty. I pulled back the covers as if they might somehow be hiding underneath. Nothing.

"KLAUS! KOL! ELIJAH!" I ran out into the hall and they were already there, having heard my shout.

"What is it?" Klaus demanded.

"The girls are gone!" Klaus pushed past me and into their room, perhaps thinking that I might somehow have missed them. My breathing spiked in panic and I felt tears in my eyes. This couldn't be happening. No… no… no…

Kol wrapped his arms around me, holding me close and escorted me back to the courtyard. I complied. A strange numbness had settled over me and all I could do was stare vacantly as tears poured down my cheek.

"She's right, there's no sign of them," said Klaus, returning to the yard.

"Call the police…" I said.

"Humans won't be able to help us," said Elijah. "If someone's done this, then they're part of our society. Someone call Marcel and get his vampires looking. Freya, get a locator spell started."

"Now, there's no need for that," came a familiar British voice. I looked up sharply and saw Lucien leaning against the front gate. Klaus did a double take.

"Lucien?"

"Evening Nik." He said with a smile. "Now, there's no need to go running all across the city looking for your little girls."

"You better not have had something to do with this," snarled Elijah.

"Oh Elijah, you wound me. I had everything to do with this. Now… before you try and skin me, I should warn you that I don't know where your girls are. I didn't actually take them. What I did do was get two of my associates to take them and hide them at different locations. If I don't come to collect them, my associates will end their own lives and your little girls will die." He was looking directly at me as he spoke. "And by the time you get a locator spell working that will breaking the cloaking spells that are on them, they'll be dead."

"What do you want?" I whispered, my voice hoarse from tears.

"You, Elena. I want you to come with me. Now, I'm not going to force you. What I'm going to do is make you an offer. Come with me now, willingly, and you'll be reunited with your daughters. Or you can stay here and they'll die."

"Or we can skin you alive and tear the city apart until we find them?" Kol suggested.

"You could… but it won't work. I can guarantee that you won't find them both. You might find one but… you'll never find both." He smirked. "So Elena, what do you say?"

Elijah made to lunge for Lucien but I put my hand out.

"I'll go with you."

"Excellent." He checked his watch. "You have five minutes. Pack a bag. Only essentials mind you, we've got a long journey ahead of us."

I nodded and made for the stairs, Finn grabbed my wrist.

"Elena, don't do this… we can sort this out."

"I'm not going to risk my children, Finn." I pulled my arm free and went upstairs. I grabbed a few things and, after a moment's hesitation, I tucked the bag with the rings and the spell away under the mattress of my bed. I returned downstairs and went over to Lucien. Everyone was staring, in a sort of shock. Lucien wrapped a possessive arm around me.

"Come along love." I looked back at the family, my family. I tried to communicate with my eyes, telling them that this wasn't goodbye, that I would see them again.

Lucien led me out to his car and I got into the back. We drove away from my home. I prayed that I would see my girls again, that they were unharmed.

"Cheer up love," said Lucien with a devilish smirk. "It's not the end of the world."

* * *

 **A/N: From a four year story to a month long story. I have posted the sequel, but obviously it takes a little while to pop up on my profile. It'll be under the title 'Blood and Wine'.**


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